TWO YOUTHS have been remanded in custody at a special sitting of Arklow District Court, Co Wicklow, to appear at Wicklow District Court next Friday in relation to the death of shopkeeper John Deasy.
John Byrne (18), Croghan Heights, Arklow, and Anthony Farrell (19), Marian Villas, Arklow, had been arrested in Wicklow and Arklow towns respectively on Saturday afternoon and appeared in court on Saturday evening.
They are charged with theft of €150 last week in an incident in which Mr Deasy was killed.
Giving evidence of on the arrest of Mr Byrne, Sgt Conor McEvoy told the court that when charged, Mr Byrne had answered: “I don’t know what to say.” Sgt Fergal McHugh told the court that when charged, Mr Farrell made no reply.
A bail application for both defendants was made by Tom Honan, solicitor, defending, but was opposed by Supt Pat Ward of Arklow Garda station. Supt Ward said he had evidence from Mr Farrell’s mobile phone of texts sent indicating that he was considering fleeing the jurisdiction.
Supt Ward told the court that more serious charges could be preferred against the defendants which “on indictment could carry a life sentence” in both cases.
In his plea for bail, Mr Honan said Mr Byrne and Mr Farrell had no previous convictions, were of known “good character”, were “deeply rooted” in the Arklow community and should not be held in custody because of a “putative” possibility of more serious charges to follow.
Judge Muireann Connellan said he “had to be cognisant of what the superintendent had said” and remanded both youths in custody to appear again next Friday at Wicklow court.