A father of one accused of burglary, rioting and criminal damage to three garda vehicles and a fire brigade truck during a large-scale public order incident in Dublin has been refused bail.
Mark Spain, 37, was charged with 11 offences during an outbreak of incidents on 23 November, “known as the Dublin City Riots”, Judge Monika Leech heard today.
The incidents broke out in reaction to the stabbing of three children at Parnell Square.
Mr Spain, a former electrician who lives in Rathmines, Dublin 6, is accused of six counts of criminal damage, one attempted criminal damage, theft of a garda car’s registration plate, rioting, and two burglary offences at O’Connell Street, Parnell Street, and Lower Abbey Street.
Garda Tom McEvoy of Store Street detective unit said Mr Spain made no reply to the charges.
The officer objected to bail and cited the seriousness of the case.
The Dublin District Court heard that gardaí had gathered thousands of hours of high-quality CCTV evidence and could track the accused for hours during the incidents.
Garda McEvoy alleged that Mr Spain smashed the front door window of a Gala shop on Lower Abbey Street and gained entry before he left, but he returned and smashed the tills.
He allegedly kicked the mirror off a garda car and removed its number plates. The officer claimed Mr Spain removed wing mirrors and smashed the windows and lights on two other Garda cars with a metal pole.
It was alleged he tried to damage a Dublin Fire Brigade tender with a metal pole.
The court heard he was part of a large group who “breached the outer core of a crime scene cordon” and part of a large number of people who “surrounded” and attacked members of An Garda Síochána.
A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Defence solicitor Yvonne Bambury submitted that the seriousness of the offences alleged was not a reason to deny bail, and she gave the example of people accused of murder who get released pending trial. She submitted that there was no evidence of drug addiction or other charges pending, and there was an imprimatur in favour of bail.
The court heard Mr Spain, who has yet to indicate a plea, was an electrician but unemployed because he is now a carer for his mother.
The judge denied the application, but the solicitor urged the court not to refuse outright but to grant bail with conditions and a surety. The garda considered that and said it would have to be a “large sum”.
However, Judge Leech said she was not disposed to grant bail and remanded him in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on 9 May.
Legal aid was granted.
Mr Spain did not address in court.
Gardaí have already brought dozens of people before the courts on criminal damage, public order, weapons, thefts and various other charges connected to the riots.
Other proceedings stemming from the 23 November disturbances involved allegations of arson of a garda car and a Luas tram.
Those cases have heard that it was “One of the most serious and largest scenes of public disorder that has ever occurred in the history of the State”.
The unrest in the city erupted after a girl, aged five, was severely wounded in a stabbing incident at Parnell Square on that afternoon.
Two other children and a crèche worker were also injured.
Riad Bouchaker, 50, who has no fixed abode, was charged on 21 December with the attempted murders of two girls and a boy, as well as assault and production of the 36-centimetre knife. He remains in custody on remand pending trial.
