Kildare solicitor tells court his client sleeps with three others in prison cell with his head beside a toilet


Irish prison conditions slammed at Kildare court hearing
A man being prosecuted for alleged breach of family law legislation is sleeping with three others in a prison cell and he lies with his head beside the cell toilet.
The stark prison conditions were laid out by solicitor Tim Kennelly, who represented the man at Naas District Court.
Mr Kennelly criticised the fact that the man has been detained for over two months and the case has not yet been heard.
He said the other party in the case, a woman, had indicated that she wanted the case dropped and he said she has plenty of protection under the law.
Mr Kennelly sought to have the matter struck out. He said the woman might not proceed with the case and had visited the man in prison. He said if the matter was struck out the State could re-enter it at a later date.
Sgt Dave Hanrahan said there were two alleged breaches of a court order and the man was denied bail in the district court and the high court. He also said the case file is with the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Judge Desmond Zaidan adjourned the matter for two weeks and said if did not proceed on that date he would mark it peremptory, meaning it might be struck out on the next occasion.