A MAN in custody on a charge of sending a message in January of “menacing character” to a man in the US, has been on hunger strike for the past 10 days, a court has been told.
Ali Charaf Damache (44), who was charged at a special sitting of the District Court on March 15th, was further remanded in custody at the court yesterday.
His solicitor Brian Chesser told Judge David Kennedy that his client has been on hunger strike “for the last 10 day for reasons that will become apparent”.
Mr Damache was unsuccessful in a bid to get bail at the High Court on Tuesday. “I’m anxious that this case proceed quickly, after refusal by the High Court of bail,” said Mr Chesser.
Mr Chesser said his client needed an interpreter and that he was “getting weaker”. Judge Kennedy asked him if his client needed medical attention. “I’d certainly like him to be monitored by the prison authorities,” Mr Chesser said.
Mr Damache, who is from Algeria and is an Irish citizen, appeared in court yesterday looking gaunt, dressed in black robes and clutching a copy of the Koran under his arm.
Insp Pádraig Dunne applied for a further remand in custody at the District Court because the case was “an extremely complex one” that is “being prepared for perusal by the DPP”.
However, Mr Chesser said that the charge did not amount to “rocket science”.
Judge Kennedy adjourned the matter to April 8th.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has 42 days from March 15th to bring its case against Mr Damache.
