'It wasn't me' and 'it didn't happen' - response of men charged with assault in Tipperary

Two men charged with assaulting and harming a man, aged in his 40s, who suffered severe burns at Knockane, Ballylooby last Saturday night, were remanded in custody for two weeks when they appeared before Clonmel District Court on Tuesday.

Luke Caplice, aged 28, of Knockane, Ballylooby, Cahir and Chad Allan, aged 27, of no fixed abode, appeared before Judge John O’Leary charged with committing assault causing harm at Knockane, Ballylooby on October 11.

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Both men are also charged with stealing €100 worth of green diesel, petrol valued at €32.68, kerosene valued at €51.59, two coffees and a can of Red Bull at Top Oil Service Station, Cashel Road, Cahir on the same date. 

Chad Allan and Luke Caplice outside Dungarvan District Court on Monday, October 13

Separately, Caplice is also charged with causing criminal damage to a car at an address at Cois na hAbhainn, Ballyporeen on October 11 and using a false instrument, namely a vehicle registration plate at Top Oil Service Station, Cashel Road, Cahir on October 11.

Solicitor Aidan Leahy told Tuesday’s court hearing that Caplice and Allan were not applying for bail at that court sitting and requested a two week adjournment of the case.

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He said both men have mental health difficulties and requested Judge O’Leary to recommend they link in with services to help them in prison.

The Judge remanded both men in custody to appear before Clonmel District Court via video link from Limerick Prison on Tuesday, October 28 for the DPP’s directions on the case.

And he recommended that the accused men receive attention for their mental health difficulties in prison.

The brief hearing was the two men’s second court appearance in two days.

They appeared before Dungarvan District Court on Monday where gardaí gave evidence of arresting, charging and cautioning them before they were remanded in custody overnight to Clonmel Garda Station to appear in person before Clonmel Court the following day.

Detective Garda Conor Gleeson of Cashel Garda Station gave evidence at Dungarvan Court of arresting Chad Allan at 12.40am on Monday for the purpose of charging him.

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Allan replied “it wasn’t me” after the assault and theft charges were read out to him and he was cautioned.  

Garda Kieran Hayes of Cahir Garda Station gave evidence that at 11.05pm on Saturday, October 11 he arrested Luke Caplice and brought him to Cahir Garda Station.  

Garda Hayes outlined that Caplice replied “it didn’t happen” when the assault charge was read to him. He replied “it wasn’t me” when the criminal damage charge was read to him. 

Caplice replied: “I had full intentions of paying back. My card didn’t work,” in response to the theft charge.

When the charge of using a false registration plate was put to him, he replied: “I damaged my plate and I made a mistake getting the new one made.”

The assault victim, meanwhile, was transferred from Cork University Hospital at the weekend to St James’ Hospital in Dublin where he remains in a critical but stable condition.