Refugee threatened not to give evidence

A refugee, who allegedly had a glass bottle smashed over his face by a teenager, was attacked a week later and threatened not to give evidence, a court heard today.

The 17-year-old boy is charged with assault causing harm to a male refugee, at Harold’s Cross, on February 9 last, which he denies.

Rathmines Garda Dylan Brady said it was alleged that the “accused walked by the injured party and smashed a glass bottle over his face".

He said that he has tried a number of times to take a statement from the injured party but has not been successful.

When asked whether this may have been the result of intimidation the Garda told the court that “a week after the incident the injured part was attacked and told not to make a complaint".

Judge Catherine Murphy said that was a “very serious matter” and granted an adjournment to allow the Garda further time to take a statement from the alleged victim.

The teenage defendant was remanded on bail to appear again on April 25 next.

Judge Murphy warned him that as a condition of his bail he was not “to have any contact, directly or indirectly with the alleged injured part.”

“If I get any evidence that you were in contact with him, or anyone contacted him on your behalf, I will immediately remand you in custody,” she warned the boy, who was not accompanied to court by a parent or guardian.