A man who spent most of the last month in jail while trying to raise bail on a contested burglary charge, gained a week's freedom when his wife put up the christening fund for their 10-week-old child as surety.
Before the District Court on Wednesday (May 20 ) was Simon Quilligan (31 ), with addresses at Blackberry Lane, Athlone and Fortunestown Lane, Tallaght, who had been arrested in Gort, Co Galway on April 23 on foot of seven outstanding warrants and had been in custody since.
Quilligan had been remanded in custody on May 1 and had his bail set at €12,000 by Judge John Neilan as, with so many outstanding warrants, he was not satisfied of Quilligan's intentions of presenting himself to court.
On that date, the court heard how gardai also opposed bail as he was wanted in relation to an alleged burglary and was also appealing a four month sentence handed down recently for another burglary.
Quilligan's bail had been set at €3,000, with an additional independent surety of €9,000, one third in cash, demanded.
Last week (May 13 ) the judge cut the independent surety to €3,000 after an appeal by his solicitor Mr Owen Carty, and this week the defendant's wife, Anne-Mary McGinley (21 ), presented a bank book with at least €1,000 lodged.
Looking at the bank book, the judge noted how the amount had been made up by an €820 lodgement on March 23 and wondered where this came from.
Ms McGinley told him him they had had a baby 10 weeks ago and this was “money given by the family for the christening”.
“How come he's not using this money for his legal fees?” asked the judge before deciding to allow the offer.
He then remanded Quilligan on continuing bail until the next court on May 27 “to make sure he turns up”
