Bail for man accused of robbing couple on street on Cork's northside

A couple returning home from socialising in Cork city were accosted and robbed on Shandon St on January 7 and now gardaí have objected to bail being granted to the man described as the main instigator of this crime.

Dean Madden, aged 34, whose home address is at Lagan Grove, Mayfield, Cork, was staying briefly at an address at Dominic St in Cork at the time of the alleged attack.

Detective Garda Elaine Murphy made an objection to bail being granted to the accused on the robbery charge. The grounds for the objection included the seriousness of the charge.

Judge Mary Dorgan decided to grant him bail and adjourned the case until April 9, 2025, on various conditions including curfew and signing on at his local Garda station.

It was alleged that at around midnight on January 7, a man and a woman were walking down Shandon St when they were accosted by a man and two women.

High-quality CCTV was harvested in the course of the investigation and Mr Madden was allegedly identified as the man who was involved in the crime.

Det Garda Murphy said the CCTV showed the man punching the injured man a number of times in the head and later going through a handbag that was taken during the incident.

The detective said the injured party first slipped on ice and soon afterwards was set upon by the man and two women and that this was all captured on CCTV. It was further alleged that Mr Madden has a heroin addiction and that he was the main protagonist in this crime. “I believe he is a danger to himself and others. This was a nasty enough incident where it was a totally unprovoked attack,” said Det Garda Murphy.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, referred to the fact that it was easy to locate the accused who was staying at an address close to the scene of the crime. His own address is in Mayfield.

Mr Buttimer said Mr Madden came upon a scene involving a woman in his company.

Det Garda Murphy said she did not agree with the account but that this would not be her account as seen on CCTV.

“It appears that Dean instigated this,” the detective said.

Mr Buttimer responded: “That would be disputed.” He picked up a phone because he thought it belonged to one of the people in his company, said the solicitor.

Mr Madden said: “I picked up a phone and did not know who owned it. I went through no handbag.”