Two Britons arrested after gardai were beaten up in Dublin are "fearing for their lives" in Mountjoy Prison and have requested protection, Dublin District Court was told yesterday.
The court was told two gardai were taken to hospital after the attack and one is still detained with a fractured skull.
Mr Warren Stainton (20), of The Willows, Oriel; and Mr David Skelton (23), of Briscrmont both in Egermont, Cumbria, are accused of common assault on Garda John O'Brien and Garda Chris Brosnan. When they appeared in court Mr Stainton's Tshirt was spattered with blood.
They are also accused of being drunk and disorderly and causing a breach of the peace at Percy Place near the Grand Canal on Saturday night last.
Garda Declan Dunne said the two men were arrested at Mespil Road at about 11.45 p.m. He applied for a remand in custody, saying one garda was still in hospital and more serious charges were being considered.
Ms Margaret Kelleher, defending solicitor, said the men feared for their lives in Mountjoy Prison and had requested protection. She said they would be denying the charges and should not be denied bail on the basis of nationality.
However, Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick said he could not grant bail to someone living outside the jurisdiction while more charges were being considered.
He remanded the two men in custody for one week and said the issue of protection was a matter for the prison authorities.
Two other men also charged with assaulting the two gardai, causing a breach of the peace and being drunk and disorderly appeared separately before the same court yesterday.
Mr Scott Walker (22) of Monkwray Court, Whitehaven, whose T-shirt was torn, and Mr Stuart Aitken (21) of Longcroft, Egermont, both in Cumbria, were arrested at the Grand Canal and Merrion Square respectively on Saturday night.
Ms Kelleher, defending, said both men were of limited means, were applying for free legal aid and would not be in a position to take up substantial independent bail.
Judge Fitzpatrick also refused bail for those defendants on the basis that further charges were being considered. He remanded them in custody for one week.