Three gardai had to restrain man (21)

It took three gardaí to restrain and handcuff a man when they carried out a search of his flat, the court has been told.

Kyle Abdel Fattah (21), Apt 44, St. Mark’s, Fair Street, pleaded guilty to obstructing Garda Bryan Kelly as he acted under the authority of a search warrant on 26 November last.

Sgt Ray Brady gave evidence that when officers entered 44 St. Mark’s, the accused was one of two males present along with one female.

He became very aggressive. When the warrant was shown he refused to allow the search take place.

Abdel Fattah continued to be aggressive and hostile. It took three guards to restrain him and place him in handcuffs.

Solicitor Dorothy Walsh added her client, who has no previous convictions, is a tenant at the property but the search warrant had nothing to do with him. It was for a transient individual he had allowed stay for a couple of nights and this person had since moved on.

This occurred very early in the morning and the defendant was ‘completely startled’ and had displayed a certain naivety, Ms Walsh continued. He hadn’t a clue what was going on.

Abdel Fattah had cancelled a hernia procedure to attend court and was also due to start a job in security the same day.

A conviction, therefore, would have implications for him.

Judge Coughlan adjourned the case to 1 March, 2019 for the defendant to come up with € 300 for charity in order to have the charge struck out.

Legal aid was granted