A 25-year-old Algerian man has appeared in court in Tralee, accused of stabbing his girlfriend’s brother seven times in Listowel.
The man, an Algerian asylum seeker living at the IPAS centre in the Citywest in Dublin, appeared in Tralee District Court this morning.
He faces two allegations arising from the one incident in the early hours of Sunday morning, described by gardaí as a frenzied attack.
Judge David Waters gave his consent to the man being released on bail, but he was remanded in custody unless he lodges a payment of €1,000.
It’s alleged that at a house party in Clieveragh, Listowel, in the early hours of Sunday morning, the man stabbed his girlfriend’s brother seven times with a knife.
Arising from this, he faces two charges; one of assault causing harm to the man he stabbed, and one of producing a knife in that incident.
Judge David Waters refused jurisdiction upon hearing the nature of what’s alleged.
The state objected to a bail application by the man’s solicitor John Cashell.
Judge David Waters noted that in refusing jurisdiction, he accepted the seriousness of the alleged offending.
Detective Garda Paul Walsh said the state has eyewitness accounts identifying the accused man as the offender.
Garda Walsh said the man is an asylum seeker originally from Algeria, with no ties to the jurisdiction, and gardaí consider him a flight risk.
Garda Walsh said he arrived in Ireland in 2022 and applied for asylum; he was then refused permission to remain in the state lawfully, but the man is appealing this.
Solicitor John Cashell said his client has instructed that he has refugee status rather than that of asylum seeker, but Garda Walsh repeated that the accused is an asylum seeker.
Judge David Waters said he has serious concerns that the man would not stay in the country to face trial, as he faces years in prison if convicted and has huge incentive to leave Ireland.
Judge Waters added the accused is an Algerian man who arrived here without travel documentation, and asked what is to stop him leaving Ireland without any travel documentation.
Judge Waters remanded him to tomorrow’s date in custody with consent to bail, once he lodges a bond or surety of €1,000, with strict conditions attached including that he stays out of Kerry except for court or legal appointments.
Mr Cashell had previously told the court his client cannot commit to lodging his own bail bond and has no one to pay a surety for him.
