Man accused of sending pig’s head to garda fails to return from holiday

A judge has issued an arrest warrant for a 45-year-old man charged in connection with sending a pig’s head to the home of a garda.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Carroll Moran issued the warrant for the arrest of Brendan Mahoney, of 74 Cabra Park, Dublin, after being informed he had failed to return to Ireland from a sun holiday in Spain.

At the same court last month, Judge Gerald Keyes varied Mr Mahoney’s bail conditions to allow him go on his holiday by making a court order for the return of his passport.

Varying Mr Mahoney’s bail conditions, Judge Keyes allowed Mr Mahoney collect his passport surrendered to gardaí from Henry St Garda Station, Limerick, on Jul 3 and return it by Jul 11.

Judge Keyes said he varied the terms of bail, noting that there was no objection from the State.

In court yesterday, Stephen Coughlan, for the State, said Mr Mahoney “has not returned to the jurisdiction” after his holiday.

“I am informed that Mr Mahoney’s name didn’t appear on the flight’s manifest on the return flight.”

Mr Coughlan said he was applying for the warrant in order to obtain an international arrest warrant, adding that “these things take time”.

Lorcan Connolly BL said he had been in touch with Mr Mahoney’s Dublin firm of solicitors and “they have been unable to contact that accused”.

Issuing the warrant, Judge Moran said: “The bottom line is that he was required to return the passport the day after returning from his holiday and he didn’t.”

In the case, Mr Mahoney is accused of posting a packet on Jan 26 last year that contained an article that was menacing — a pig’s head.

The charge is brought under new legislation, being contrary to Section 55 of the Communities Regulations (Postal Services) Act 2011.

A Garda investigation was launched in January of last year after the arrival of the severed animal’s head to the home of a Clare garda.