*Aidan Park.
A SHANNON man accused of a ‘very serious’ assault on his then girlfriend on St Patrick’s Day that allegedly left her with a broken eye socket, broken ribs and a collapsed lung is to face further charges, a court has heard.
Sgt Frank O’Grady told Ennis District Court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that the case against Mark Hayes (35) be heard in the Circuit Court.
Sgt O’Grady said that Mr Hayes is to also face further charges this week in court.
Mr Hayes has been in custody since April 11th and failed in his court application for bail last month.
At a previous court hearing in the case, Det Sgt Kevin O’Hagan of Shannon Garda Station alleged that the victim in the case sustained a broken eye socket, stitches to her face, staples to her head, a collapsed lung that required to be drained, bruises to her body and broken ribs arising from Mr Hayes’s alleged assault.
Det Sgt O’Hagan said that it is the State’s case that Mr Hayes of Aidan Park, Shannon assaulted his then girlfriend at a house in Rineanna View, Shannon on St Patrick’s Day and assaulted another man unknown to him on April 11th at Aidan’s Park, Shannon.
Det Sgt O’Hagan stated that arising from the alleged assault against the woman on March 17th, she spent 11 days in hospital and required surgery on her broken eye socket.
Det Sgt O’Hagan said that it was “a very serious assault”.
In the second assault, Det Sgt O’Hagan stated that it will be alleged that Mr Hayes assaulted a man unknown to him on the street in Shannon punching and kicking him and forcing him to the ground.
Judge Gabbett denied a bail application after Det Sgt O’Hagan said that no bail conditions could allay Garda concerns.
Judge Alec Gabbett refused bail commenting that the alleged assault “is very serious”.
Det Sgt O’Hagan said, “My biggest fear is interference with witnesses and especially the alleged victim from March 17th”.
Judge Gabbett has now told Mr Hayes that “they want to bring further charges against you so you need to be here in person next week for those charges to be laid” and in response, Mr Hayes on video-link gave a ‘thumbs-up’ salute from his custody suite from Limerick prison.
As the case will now be heard in the circuit court, more severe penalties apply on conviction for assault causing harm under Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
In the District Court those convicted of assault causing harm face prison terms up to 12 months and in the circuit court those convicted face prison terms up to five years. Mr Hayes has been remanded in custody to appear in court on June 12th at Ennis District Court.
