Kildare man 'refused to let gardaí in with an arrest warrant and barricaded himself into a room'

Gardaí who arrived at a home to serve an arrest warrant were denied entry by a man, who then barricaded himself into a room.

Garda Mick O’Connell told Naas District Court that when he arrived accompanied by three other gardaí the man "went to get out the back door” but two other gardaí were there.

Gda O'Connell said there was a double lock on one of the doors.

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The garda added he spoke to his son at the address in west Kildare.

Gda O’Connell said he had to break two small panes of glass to open the lock and the defendant said there was no name on the warrant - though this was completely disputed by the garda.

He said the door of the room where the man, aged in his 60s, had locked himself in had to be broken.

Gda O’Connell said the man was facing two allegations of drink driving, one in 2022 and one in 2024, but “he doesn’t recognise the court.”

The defendant said the warrant should have been signed by a judge and the garda said that had been done and he had a copy of the document served on the man, who said he had his warrant at home.

Garda O’Connell added the defendant had been uncooperative when he attempted to execute warrants previously.

The defendant told the court he had two warrants that had not been signed but Judge Desmond Zaidan said he sees hundreds of warrants a week and he signs every one.

Judge Zaidan said the incident could have led to the man being injured or the gardaí sustaining injury.

“I can't put the gardaí or him at risk,” said Judge Zaidan.

The judge said his concern is that the man won’t turn up at a later date and that he is a flight risk.

The case was initially adjourned.