Wicklow man accused of hammer and bottle attack granted bail again after alleged breach
The Wicklow PeopleA Wicklow man accused of a serious hammer and glass bottle attack has been granted bail again, after gardaí sought to have his bail revoked over an alleged breach.
Brandon Breen (23), of Mitchell Close, Arklow, Co Wicklow, appeared at a sitting of Bray District Court charged with one count of assault causing harm.
It is alleged that on June 4, Mr Breen attacked the complainant at his home address with a hammer and glass bottle, leaving him with “catastrophic injuries” that may be “life-altering”.
The court was previously told that the complainant now has a steel plate in his head and was previously at risk of losing an eye.
In August, Judge Derek Cooney granted the accused bail on several strict conditions, after he was remanded in custody for several weeks.
Judge Cooney warned the accused to have no contact with the complainant or witnesses, “not even by messenger pigeon”, and that he must reside at his mother’s home address.
Mr Breen was then arrested for an alleged breach of that bail before being remanded into custody.
On Wednesday, September 9, he was granted bail again at a sitting of Arklow District Court by Judge Mary McAveety.
The following day, Mr Breen was brought before a sitting of Bray District Court, where gardaí made an application to rescind his bail.
Detective Garda Tadgh O’Connor told the court that Mr Breen was arrested after an incident at the Bridgewater Shopping Centre in Arklow.
Mr Breen, who represented himself, said that he was in the shopping centre, rolling a cigarette, when a security guard asked him to leave.
He said that he was in the shopping centre trying to purchase a SIM card, as Judge McAveety had told him he must be contactable by phone 24 hours a day, and that he left the shopping centre when directed to do so.
While at the shopping centre, it is alleged that gardaí received calls stating that Mr Breen was acting “aggressively” towards staff.
The court was told that, when gardaí arrived at the scene, the defendant became “aggressive”, and officers had to use pepper spray to restrain him.
Judge McAveety denied the application to revoke his bail and granted Mr Breen bail under the same strict conditions.