Hooded men turn up at woman's Kildare apartment armed with baseball bats and iron bars - claim
Demand for money
Men armed with baseball bats and iron bars turned up in vehicles at a woman’s address, it was alleged at Naas District Court.
Before the court was Michael Galvin, 40, whose address was given as Mullingar.
He is being prosecuted for demanding €5,000 with menaces and threatening to cause damage.
The court heard from Garda Kevin Williamson that when charged the defendant was arrested he made no reply.
He said it will be claimed that a number of vehicles pulled up outside the residence on January 10 at 8.30pm.
Two males, including the defendant, spoke to the injured party and one, who was not before the court, put his foot inside to stop the door from being closed.
The older man, allegedly the defendant, said that money was owed by the woman’s son and a threat was made to damage the property.
Gda Williamson added the younger man took a swing at the woman but did not hit her.
He added they all left.
The court heard that the men's faces were covered with balaclavas or masks but the older male was not covered up.
Gda Williamson said the injured party will say this person was Michael Galvin. The sum of money related to a drug debt and the defendant wanted it paid and if not “the house would be done in.”
He opposed bail because he feared the defendant would not turn up in court and would return to the injured party’s home.
He said no bail conditions would satisfy him. He added the defendant would be “the top man of that group” and “he organised them to turn up.”
The injured party was not present because she is fearful, he said
Barrister Aisling Murphy said the defendant has a family and world and works. She said a cash lodgement was available if bail was granted and the defendant would sign on twice weekly at a garda station as well as observing a curfew.
She said if bail was not granted the defendant could be in custody for a long time because of the delay in bringing allegations before a trial.
The defendant said he has four children and is “self employed in car sales”.
He told the court he had nothing to do with the incident and was not there. He does not know the woman and had never been in that estate.
He said he had not been in Sallins for a long time.
“I wasn't near a house , obviously someone did and gave my name,” he said. He said he would turn up in court if granted bail.
Judge Desmond Zaidan said the only issue he was deciding is bail and the defendant is presumed to be innocent. He added the bail objections were well founded and strict bail conditions would not be appropriate.
The defendant responded: “Yeah, yeah, I thought that. You could have said that and not kept me standing for half an hour.”
The case was adjourned.