PAIR ‘SPAT ON’ GARDAÍ IN CITY
Judge refuses to bail accused father and son facing charges
A FATHER and son have been refused bail after they were accused of spitting on two gardaí on duty yesterday in Dublin city centre.
The capital’s District Court heard concerns that the alleged incident happened at a time of heightened public health fears over the spread of Covid-19.
Judge Miriam Walsh was told a crowd had gathered as a drug search got ‘out of hand’ and the incident was filmed by passers-by. It was then posted on social media.
Paul Clarke Sr, 49, and his son James Clarke, 27, of Clonard Road, Crumlin, Dublin, who are both on disability benefits, were charged with assaulting gardaí acting in the execution of their duty.
James Clarke faces additional charges for obstructing the officers and a breach of the peace. The incident allegedly happened at O’Donovan Rossa Bridge, Dublin 8, yesterday morning.
The two accused were refused bail and remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court next Tuesday, March 31.
Paul Clarke Sr stood wearing a surgical face mask throughout the hearing.
Garda Kate Mulligan and Garda Kevin Carthy told the court they were objecting to bail and cited public fear surrounding Covid-19.
Garda Mulligan told Judge Walsh a crowd recorded the incident which she has since seen on social media and that efforts are under way to obtain the footage.
She said Paul Clarke Sr was accused of spitting on gardaí carrying out their duties.
Opposing bail, she cited ‘other factors in relation to this in light of Covid-19’, adding that there ‘is already fear in the population’.
Defence counsel Sarah Connolly said her client had a kidney transplant three years ago and also suffered from ulcers and gall bladder problems.
Garda Carthy said a drug search was being carried out on a different man, that things ‘got out of hand’ and that both accused started spitting at him and his colleague. ‘I was spat at, at least twice,’ he added.
The barrister said Paul Clarke Sr accepted tensions were heightened but denied spitting on anyone.
Denying him bail, Judge Walsh said that as result of current matters, ‘everybody’s lives have totally changed’; however, she added that the accused were innocent until proven guilty.
She noted the Prison Service could assist Paul Clarke Sr with his health difficulties.
Objecting to bail in the case of James Clarke, Garda Carthy said in light of Covid-19 it was a very serious offence while gardaí were trying to carry out duties.
The court heard the pair were taken to Kilmainham Garda Station after they were arrested at about 11.25am yesterday and made no reply when charged.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, a woman who was coughed at while out for a walk has described the terrifying moment two youths began to chase her.
Linda Cullen, a TV producer, said the incident at the West Pier in Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, on Wednesday was one of the most frightening things that had ever happened to her.
‘There were two kids, two young boys, who were taking up the whole path,’ she told Oliver Callan on RTÉ. ‘I looked behind me and there were no cars coming so I stepped around them onto the road. I don’t know whether they took umbrage at me for stepping out or what.
‘The older one just turned and coughed at me – coughed or spat or sneezed, I don’t know which.
‘I stopped and spoke to them. I wanted to call them out for it. I said, “Lads you can’t be doing that. It’s not funny, it’s really frightening and it’s really dangerous at the moment”. Unfortunately, the younger one started running at me and coughing and spitting.
‘I was shouting at that point, “Get off me, get off me”, as I thought he was going to start handling me. In some ways, I felt very unthreatened because they were young, but I also felt more threatened than I ever had in my life at the same time because of what coughing and spitting can do at the moment.’
Ms Cullen confirmed she called the gardaí after she was coughed at and became upset on the phone.
‘There is already fear in the population’
Despite telling the pair of youths that she was ringing the gardaí, they continued to chase her and cough at her while she was on the phone.
The gardaí arrived and offered her bleach wipes to clean off the spittle, and told her they had been dealing with a similar incident just minutes before they got her call
Severely shaken by the attack, Ms Cullen admitted it has made her question whether or not she will go out walking again as she ‘doesn’t know if something landed on me or not’.
Gardaí have said there will be serious repercussions for those found coughing at people and have urged people not to spit or cough at others. ‘Any member of the public should report such activity to An Garda Síochána,’ a Garda spokesperson told the Irish Daily Mail.
‘This activity could amount to an offence under the Public Order Act or Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
‘An Garda Síochána will treat any reports of this type of activity seriously.’
When contacted, Fianna Fail justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan praised the efforts by gardaí to keep the community safe.
‘Everyone should be thankful for the bravery displayed by members of An Garda Síochána and other frontline workers as they protect us all from the threats posed by this emergency,’ he said.
The Policing Authority also recognised and commended the extensive work being undertaken by the force in relation to both the current emergency and regular Garda responsibilities.