Cavanman remanded in custody on assault charge

A Cavanman has been remanded in custody to Castlerea Prison charged in connection with an alleged serious assault in Arva on Tuesday last, video evidence of which, gardaí say, was posted online.
Desmond Hughes (24) with an address at Bruce Manor, Arva, appeared in garda custody before Cavan District Court today (Thursday) with a bandage under his left eye and another on his neck. Detective Garda Eileen Higgins was the arresting officer in the case.
Mr Hughes is charged with assault causing harm to Sarah Tierney at Bruce Manor on May 31. He is further charged with producing an axe during the course of a fight or a dispute on the same occasion and with the theft of a TV, valued at €400, from the A&E Department of Cavan General Hospital on Wednesday, June 1.
Objecting strongly to bail on behalf of the State, Inspector Pat O’Connell told Judge Denis McLoughlin that there was open video evidence of the assault, which was posted on a social media site.
The inspector said that the gardaí will require DPP direction on the matter and that medical reports will also be required for the case. He said that gardaí had “serious concerns” that, if granted bail, Mr Hughes would “interfere” with witnesses or injured parties in the case.
Insp O’Connell further pointed out to the judge that the defendant had two bench warrants previously issued against him, in July 2012 and August 2015, for failing to appear to answer charges against him.
He said that gardaí had a “fear for the safety” of witnesses in the case.
Solicitor for the defendant Garrett Fortune made an application to the court for bail for his client. He described him as an unemployed father of three children - aged six years, two years and six weeks who had lived at Bruce Manor for the past year but, prior to that, had lived in Cavan Town all his life.
The solicitor pointed out that these were allegations, though he accepted that the charges were serious.
“Nothing has been proven,” said Mr Fortune, adding that Mr Hughes wished to make his own statement in relation to the matters, as would his partner and others present.
The solicitor suggested that if the gardaí had an objection to the defendant staying in Arva, that perhaps it could be a condition of bail that he reside with his parents in Cavan Town.
In relation to the 2015 warrant, Mr Fortune said that his client was late for court on the day, though the solicitor had said he couldn’t comment on the 2012 warrant.
Insp O’Connell told the judge that social workers had viewed the footage and would have “serious concerns” about the safety of children living at the Arva address if Mr Hughes was granted bail.
Ruling on the matter, Judge McLoughlin accepted that the State had made its case. He remanded Mr Hughes in custody to Castlerea Prison to appear at Harristown District Court in the morning, June 3.
Legal aid was granted to Mr Fortune.