Dad “rammed” ex-partner’s car with kids on board

Tom Tuite

A Dublin father was refused bail following claims he "rammed" his ex-partner's car with a motorbike as she set off on a crèche-run just two weeks after a "vicious" attack on her sister.

The jobless man, in his 30s, who allegedly bragged about having "generous friends" cannot be named for legal reasons.

He appeared before Judge William Aylmer at Dublin District Court on Saturday, charged over a series of incidents over the past three weeks.

The man, a father, is accused of criminal damage, assault causing harm and breaching a protection order, and cannot be named due to the Domestic Violence Act's reporting restrictions.

Objecting to bail, Store Street Garda Kelly McKiernan said the latest incident happened when his former partner went to drop their kids off at preschool.

It was alleged the accused, riding a motorbike, shouted and threatened her and "rammed her car repeatedly", leaving the children petrified.

The woman was "shaken as she tried to protect them and herself," the judge heard.

The garda alleged that the accused had carried out a vicious attack on his former partner's sister about two weeks earlier.

The woman answered her door, and he allegedly "spat in her face and punched her in the face", resulting in an injury requiring surgery.

It was alleged one of her children "tried to defend her mother", and an ambulance had to be called.

The court heard claims that when he left, he allegedly threatened the woman that he would "come back and throw acid in her face and burn her house down".

The contested bail hearing was told there was CCTV evidence, but defence solicitor Mervin Harnett put it to the garda that his client could not be identified from the footage. The garda did not accept that suggestion.

The man's former partner took out the protection order a day after this incident.

The complainants were in court but not required to give evidence, and the garda told the court they were "traumatised."

She also raised concerns that he would not turn up to court because he had told her he planned to go to Spain for a month.

However, he had no job. It was claimed he told the garda who questioned him about his "lavish lifestyle" that he had "generous friends".

The officer agreed with the defence that the man had the presumption of innocence.

The judge accepted the garda had established that he was necessary to refuse bail to prevent the commission of a further offence and denied the man's application to be released pending trial.

However, there was no evidence in court of any other source of income, and he was allowed free legal aid. The accused, who has yet to enter a plea, made no reply when charged at Store Street garda station and remained silent during the hearing until the end when he said, "Thanks, your Honour," when granted legal aid.

He will appear again next week.