Tom Tuite
A 20-year-old man has been refused bail after he was charged with false imprisonment of his “petrified” ex-partner and her sister at knifepoint and locked inside their home in Dublin.
A lengthy bail hearing on Monday was told he came to her home to give something to their child but instead took out a knife, locked the door and grabbed phones to prevent them calling for help.
The hour-long incident ended when his former partner told him she loved him before she disarmed him, and he then left because he had a haircut appointment, Dublin District Court heard.
Judge John O’Leary imposed reporting restrictions and ordered that the accused could not be identified.
Garda Andrew Welsh objected to bail due to the seriousness of the case, and he outlined the prosecution evidence.
He alleged the accused arrived at the young woman’s home, produced a red-handled kitchen knife, and pushed his way into the house “enraged”, demanded their phones and threatened to kill his former partner.
She eventually convinced him to leave and waited for her mother to come home before calling gardaí.
Garda Welsh said the woman believed the accused would kill her.
Under cross-examined by defence counsel Kevin McCrave, the garda accepted the man had no prior criminal convictions, warrant history or addiction issues.
The garda agreed that the accused mentioned suicidal ideation during his interview, in which admissions were made.
Bail
The defence proposed bail with conditions that the accused seek to be detained voluntarily for treatment, and his father, who was present at the hearing, would inform gardaí if he left.
Garda Welsh said he was concerned the accused could leave treatment voluntarily. He also said there was a possibility of further charges and that the case would go to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.
The two complainants were in court, with the defendant’s ex-partner giving evidence in support of the bail objection. She said she was petrified and wept as she recalled that he came to her home but knew he was not allowed inside.
She told Judge O’Leary that her former partner had a bag and thought he had brought something for their child, but he took out the knife, pushed his way in, and locked the door.
He allegedly pointed the knife at her and grabbed her and her sister’s phones.
The court heard he made a stabbing motion at the wall, and she kept asking him to put the knife down. The woman said he became angry when he thought her sister, watching the child, could use a tablet computer to get help, but she assured him that the device just had Netflix.
She alleged he said she was lying, trying to trick him, and he attempted to go through her phone.
She said he sat down and she spoke to him. “I had to say I still loved him,” she added, before she managed to take the knife and he left after saying he wanted to get his hair cut.
The woman told the court that he called her 50 times as she gave a statement to gardaí.
Arrest
Questioned by the defence, the woman disagreed that he had the knife pointed backwards, and she said she feared he would kill her and threatened her, saying: “I will kill you.”
She said she was also scared he would go after her child or her younger sister who was still locked in the house.
The accused sought bail and agreed he had gone to the house but maintained he held the knife to his side.
He agreed that he returned later, at which point he called and texted her and was then arrested.
He agreed he pushed his way into the house, took the phones, locked the door and stabbed the wall, but denied threatening to kill her.
He also told the court he was waiting to get mental health treatment.
His father also told the court that a few days before the incident, he found his son in his room with a lead wrapped around his neck and he was taken to hospital by ambulance.
He said his son “needs help” but was sent home by a psychiatric nurse.
He agreed with the barrister, instructed by solicitor Brian Keenan, that he would ensure his son would seek admission to a psychiatric hospital.
Judge O’Leary said there was no evidence before the court that the accused had a mental disorder. Refusing bail, he accepted the garda witness interference fears and added that he might try to evade justice given the seriousness of the matter.
Legal aid was granted to the accused, who is yet to enter a plea. He is due to appear in court again later this week.
