A man with two outstanding bench warrants, who used four addresses and his twin brother to evade identification was remanded in custody at the District Court last week (March 10 ) after being arrested in Longford.
Charged with two counts of theft and handling stolen property, the court heard from arresting officer Garda Carl Foley how Joseph McDonagh (22 ) with addresses in Lucan, Inchicore, and two in Longford gave a false name, address and date of birth when arrested.
Garda Foley told Judge John Neilan he opposed bail because the defendant “has a twin brother and both give each others details to Gardai”.
The judge asked Garda Foley if he was fully satisfied with the identity of the defendant and was told he was because McDonagh had a tattoo of his wife on his arm.
He also told the court that, along with the two outstanding bench warrants, McDonagh had four previous ones.
Garda Foley also referred to “an ongoing investigation” concerning McDonagh but did not go into any details.
After selecting Mr Gerard Gallagher as his legal aid solicitor, he informed the court he was now living in a trailer at the rear of his mother-in-law’s address in Farnagh, Longford.
“His wife is resident at this address,” said Mr Gallagher, with whom his client had “a very tumultuous relationship”.
McDonagh admitted to being addicted to heroin and had to be hospitalised after his arrest on Tuesday afternoon (March 9 ) because of his level of intoxication.
Judge Neilan set bail at €600 of the defendant’s own money, and an independent surety of €1,500. He ordered that anybody who acted as independent suretor in this case would have to “provide fixity of abode for more than 90 days”.
The judge ordered McDonagh undergo medical and psychiatric assessment whilst in prison and remanded him in custody until Longford District Court on March 16.
He refused Mr Gallagher’s request to amend the bail amounts “on account of the number of bench warrants and addresses”.
