Man charged with having a crossbow after major Garda operation

The accused appeared in court with a number of wounds to his head which were covered in plasters

Olexandar Pogozhy appeared before a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court on Wednesday morning. File picture: NW Newspix

A man has been charged with illegally having a crossbow following an incident at a Co Donegal hotel.

Olexandar Pogozhy appeared before a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court on Wednesday morning. The 65-year-old was arrested following a major garda operation in the village of Glenties on Tuesday morning.

Pogozhy was arrested by members of the Garda Armed Response Unit at the Highlands Hotel following an incident there. He appeared at Letterkenny District where he was represented by solicitor Rory O'Brien.

Pogozhy is charged with having possession of a crossbow that was not licensed under Section 2 of the Firearms Act of 1925 at the Highlands Hotel on November 8, 2022.

The accused was staying at the hotel which is being partially used as part of the Government's humanitarian accommodation programme. He is also charged with stealing a blue bicycle.

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A court interpreter explained proceedings in Russian to the accused. Judge Éiteáin Cunningham said arrest, charge, and caution had been given by schedule.

Garda Sergeant Jim Collins said there was no objection to bail under a number of conditions.

They are that Pogozhy lodges €1,000 in cash in court, resides at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin, that he surrenders his passport and supplies a phone number to gardaí. The accused, who wore flip-flops and a tracksuit, had a number of wounds to his head which were covered in plasters.

The case was adjourned to Glenties District Court on January 25 next for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions in the case.