Husband accused of twice breaching barring order in two days held on bail

If bail is taken up he must surrender his passport, provide gardaí with an alternative address and sign on twice daily at a garda station

Judge Walsh heard the man’s wife obtained the order on Monday. File picture: iStock

A husband accused of repeatedly breaking a barring order has been held on €1,500 bail.

The man, who is in his forties, appeared before Judge Miriam Walsh at Dublin District Court charged with an offence under section 33 of the Domestic Violence Act for contravening an interim order barring him from his family home.

The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies the charge.

Judge Walsh heard the man’s wife obtained the order on Monday.

He was given bail for breaking it that day and arrested again on Tuesday for breaching the order.

His wife told the court today that the man kept returning to the house and caused damage. She spotted him hiding in her garden, she said.

She claimed he had been drunk and she let him “sleep it off” for a couple of hours. He left but returned about an hour later when he caused damage and broke in through a window, she alleged.

The woman said that every time she called gardaí he left the house but came back when they left.

She accused him of being on drink and drugs. He had also been looking for his passport because he told her he was going to England, she alleged.

The court heard gardaí who responded to the alarm call did not see him at the house. However, he was arrested in the vicinity.

“He should not be granted bail, he is a danger to himself and a danger to me. He is going to OD on drugs if he goes to England, he’s no good to himself, he’s as good in jail,” she told the court.

Pleading for bail, the man said he would abide by the order and stay away from the family home. He denied claims that he had returned there since Monday and said he had stayed with a family member.

He rejected claims of using drugs and said he understood the condition of the barring order that he could not have contact with his wife.

Pleading for bail, defence solicitor Andrew Broderick said his client denied the charge. He asked the judge to note the alleged breaches were not witnessed by gardaí and it was “his word against her word”.

The man was remanded in custody with consent to bail in his own bond of €800 of which €500 must be lodged, and an independent surety in the sum of €1,000 has to be approved by the court.

Once bail has been taken up he must surrender his passport, provide gardaí with an alternative address and sign on twice daily at a garda station.

He was also warned to stay out of the district where his wife lives.

A trial date will be set at a later stage.