A JUDGE yesterday imposed more stringent conditions on a Aughrim man after he was told that the defendant was in breach of his existing bail conditions.
Gerard Fitzgerald (21) from Tomcoyle, Aughrim, is charged along with two coaccused of robbing 77 year old Aughrim farmer Andy Kingston of £9,600 at Killballyowen on October 8th last.
Under his bail conditions, Gerard Fitzgerald was to sign on at Aughrim Garda station on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week, and he was also not to come within a mile of the village.
Garda Mick Kavanagh told Rathdrum Court yesterday that Gerard Fitzgerald had only signed on once at Aughrim Garda station, despite various attempts to make arrangements with him, and he was again in breach of his bail conditions last Sunday at 3.40 a.m. when he was the direct cause of a fracas in Aughrim.
Yesterday, Judge Donnchadh Buachalla ordered that Gerard Fitzgerald was not to come any nearer than two miles of Aughrim without notifying the Garda and that he was to stay at home at night between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.
He refused an application by defence solicitor Mr David Tarrant to switch the signing on to Arklow Garda station, which is open 24 fours a day, whereas Aughrim station does not have a garda on duty all the time.