Man charged in connection with Stoneybatter knife attack remanded in custody

Gardaí on patrol after the knife attacks in Stoneybatter on Sunday. Picture: Leon Farrell/ RollingNews.ie

A man accused of attacking and injuring three men during stabbings in Dublin’s Stoneybatter area has been remanded in custody.

The men, aged from their mid-20s to mid-40s, sustained slashing-type neck wounds at about 3pm on Sunday as the incident unfolded over several locations in the residential area, including on Germantown Road and Niall Street.

Gabrial Fereira Motta Valladares, aged 29, a Brazilian citizen with an address at Broadstone Avenue, Dublin 7, was charged with four offences but made no application for bail when he appeared before Judge Aine Clancy on Tuesday.

Two men were taken to hospital by ambulance, with two of them described as having serious but non-life threatening injuries. A third man who suffered a less severe injury was also hospitalised for a less serious injury.

Gardaí, including unarmed officers and detectives supported by armed support units, responded to the incident.

The arrested man was initially intercepted and detained close to the scene by an unarmed uniformed garda.

He was held for questioning at the Bridewell Garda Station where the investigating officers charged him at 11.30pm on Monday with assault causing harm to two named men on Niall Street and Oxmanstown Road. These offences are contrary to section three of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Two more charges were levelled against him for unlawful possession of weapons, a box cutter knife at Murtagh Road, Dublin 7, and black scissors on Manor Street in the same district.

Dressed in a wine-coloured jumper, black tracksuit bottoms and flip-flops, the accused then appeared before Judge Clancy at Dublin District Court. Visibly upset, Mr Valladares sat silently at first with his arms across his chest and later with his hands joined in front of his face as the court heard evidence.

He listened to the proceedings with the help of an interpreter.

Detective Garda David Chapman told Judge Clancy the accused said “no comment” when the first charge was put to him. His response to the second charge was: “I was afraid to be killed.” He had “no reply” to the remaining two.

The judge noted there would be Garda objections to bail. However, defence solicitor Michael French informed Judge Clancy his client was not making a bail application at this stage.

Judge Clancy remanded Mr Valladares in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on February 18. Mr French said his client wished to appear in person and not via video link, and he indicated a bail application may be moved on the next date.

Judge Clancy acceded to a defence request to direct immediate medical attention for Mr Valladares while in custody.

The solicitor explained his client was seen by a doctor twice while in the Garda station.

Legal aid was granted after the judge was told the accused was not working and had no income.