Bail bid by man accused of meat cleaver assault

A fresh bail application is to be made next Monday for a 32-year-old man charged in connection with an alleged meat cleaver assault that left the victim with a 20-stitch laceration to the head.

At Ennis District Court yesterday, Patrick Kolodziej of Coor East, Doonogan, Miltown Malbay, appeared in relation to the alleged meat cleaver and knife attack on Marcin Jeziorny at the home the two Poles shared near Miltown Malbay near Clare’s Atlantic coast on May 17.

On conviction, a charge of assault causing harm carries a maximum jail term of five years.

However, the State last month increased the charge against Mr Kolodziej to assault causing serious harm that carries a prison term up to life on conviction.

Mr Kolodziej is also accused of producing a kitchen knife and a meat cleaver capable of inflicting serious injury during the course of the alleged assault.

The charge states that the meat cleaver is 12in in length with a blade that was 8.5in long and 4in wide, while the kitchen knife was 10.5in long with a 6in blade.

Mr Kolodziej first appeared in court two days after the alleged assault and has remained in custody since after failing to secure bail on his first appearance in court.

He is now also charged with cultivating cannabis without a licence at Coor East, Doonogan on May 17 and having cannabis in his possession with the intent to sell and supply the drug.

Mr Kolodziej has already been refused bail in the district court and also in the High Court. However, solicitor for Mr Kolodziej, Daragh Hassett said yesterday that he was making a fresh bail application as the matter was not being sent forward to the circuit court.

This followed a book of evidence being served on Mr Kolodziej two weeks ago.

Mr Hassett said that the bail application would not be proceeding yesterday as Mr Kolodziej’s surety was not in court.

Det Garda Donal Corkery told a previous court sitting that the victim in the case sustained one laceration to the head requiring 20 stitches, with a further laceration to the face requiring between five and 10 stitches.