Man charged with assaults and possession of blade in Clonakilty

Marlon Corrigan, who has been staying at Nordav Guesthouse in Tawnies, Clonakilty, appeared before Bandon District Court, having been arrested on Sunday morning last.

A man has been charged with two assaults on people in Clonakilty and of being in possession of a blade.

Marlon Corrigan, who has been staying at Nordav Guesthouse in Tawnies, Clonakilty, appeared before Bandon District Court, having been arrested on Sunday morning last.

Garda Micheal Houlihan told Judge James McNulty that he had arrested Mr Corrigan at 10.28am on Sunday on Western Road in the town and when he cautioned him Mr Corrigan replied: "Is this about the knife?"

Mr Corrigan, who is 26, is charged with an assault on King Iyalla at Clarke St on June 19, and to another assault, this time to Mabel Boahen, at Harte's Eurospar on the same date. He is also charged of possession of a blade.

At 5.16pm Mr Corrigan was then charged with the two alleged assault offences, and made no reply. When the charge of possessing a blade was put to him, he replied "no comment".

Bail conditions

Insp. David Callaghan said gardaí had no objection to bail, provided there were conditions attached.

Those conditions include that he reside at his address, observe a curfew from 10pm to 7am and that he sign on at Clonakilty Garda Station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Mr Corrigan's solicitor, Flor Murphy, said his client was living in emergency accommodation had been doing for about the last year.

He said his client was originally from Dublin, had spent a few years living in South Africa and had come to Castletownbere four years ago.

Mental health concerns

Mr Murphy said that he would have some concerns about his client's mental health, saying Mr Corrigan had been under the care of the mental health team in West Cork but due to Covid this had slipped. He said the Bantry mental health team had since been notified, by Mr Corrigan's former GP in Castletownnbere, that he had been in custody.

"There has been a previous difficulty and because of Covid all of these things seem to have collapsed," Mr Murphy said. "Some intervention would probably be needed."

On hearing this, Judge McNulty made it a condition of Mr Corrigan's release on bail that he re-engages with his GP in Castletownbere within the next 24 hours and follow her advice and directions.

The court heard Mr Corrigan has Aspergers and is receiving a disability payment, and legal aid was granted.

He was released on his own bail bond of €100, no cash required, and must come before the court again on July 6 next.