A deaf man who seriously assaulted two men in Dublin was remanded in continuing custody yesterday to March 18th next.
The proceedings at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court were communicated to Colm Kellet (27) by a court appointed sign language interpreter.
Kellet pleaded guilty to assaulting both Mr Kevin Madden and Mr Michael Foley, occasioning them actual bodily harm, at his South Summer Street address, on September, 6th, 1996.
Defence counsel Mr Brendan Grogan SC said his client had complained for about eight or nine years of severe headaches and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). He had attended doctors on numerous occasions but never had the assistance of an interpreter to explain his condition fully.
Mr Grogan requested the preparation of both medical and psychiatric reports on Kellet to assist the court.
Judge Cyril Kelly listed the case for March 18th to ascertain how long it would take to compile the reports. He said the State should arrange for a sign language expert to interpret during the psychiatrist's consultations with Kellet.