Warrant issued for man accused of swinging screwdriver at supermarket security guard
Tom Tuite
A judge has ordered the arrest of a 38-year-old man accused of "swinging" a screwdriver at a supermarket security guard in Dublin after footage was uploaded to social media.
Mohamed Kaness (38), formerly of Gardiner Street, Dublin 1, was granted strict bail on August 9th at Dublin District Court. He has yet to enter a plea and was due to return to the court on Friday, but failed to appear. Judge Michele Finan issued a bench warrant.
Mr Kaness was charged with unlawful possession of a flathead screwdriver as a weapon and producing an implement capable of causing serious injury at Lidl on Talbot Street in the city centre's north side on August 7th.
At his previous hearing, Garda Paul Mooney objected to bail; he cited witness interference concerns and quoted an excerpt from Mr Kaness's interview: "I’m not going to leave them alone".
Gardaí asked what he would do then, to which he allegedly replied: “If you don't do it, your job, I want to report him, it's only two bottles and I was going anyway."
The Store Street-based officer said that the man made no reply when charged with two counts under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.
The garda mentioned that the accused lacked an address, having lost his hostel place when a recording of the incident surfaced online.
Describing the incident, Garda Mooney said he and colleagues responded to a report initially stating there was a man with a knife in the supermarket who had been held by security.
Mr Kaness allegedly had a broad-headed screwdriver and "was swinging this implement at security, that is why he was being detained."
The defence stated that English was the accused's first language, but he had agreed to reside with a friend in the Dublin 7 area, provided he stayed away from specific locations.
Mr Kaness, who was granted legal aid, was ordered to sign on five days a week at a Garda station, provide gardaí with his new address, and remain away from Talbot Street and his former hostel.
