A serving garda is to stand trial on charges of burglary, harassment, criminal damage, assault and sending grossly offensive messages.
Alan O’Mahony, who is stationed at Letterkenny Garda station in Co Donegal, is to stand trial at Letterkenny Circuit Court.
The case was mentioned at Letterkenny District Court before Judge Ciaran Liddy.
State solicitor for Donegal, Kieran Dillon, told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented for the accused to go forward to the Circuit Court on all matters.
Mr O’Mahony, with an address at Commons Road in Cork, was not present in court and is currently off on sick leave. He faces a total of five charges.
He is charged with trespassing at Wood Park, Lismonaghan, Letterkenny, on June 30th, 2024, and assaulting Joseph O’Donnell, contrary to Section 2 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.
Mr O’Mahony is also charged that on the same date and location, he caused damage to property by throwing a lit cigarette on the duvet and burning it.
On the same date and location, the accused is charged with causing damage to the handle of the front door of the house.
Mr O’Mahony is further charged that on or about the same date, at or near Letterkenny, with sending grossly offensive communication, namely a photograph of a named woman to another person thereby distributing or sending with intent by doing so to cause harm.
State solicitor Mr Dillon said he was furnishing copies of statements to the accused man’s solicitor, Patsy Gallagher, to consider a signed plea.
He asked for the case to be adjourned until March 3rd to facilitate a signed plea being considered.
Mr Gallagher responded “that all makes sense.”
Legal aid was requested and granted as Mr Gallagher outlined the accused was currently not working “due to these matters.”
Referring to the “allegations and seriousness of the case”, he also requested Judge Ciaran Liddy to assign him legal counsel in the case, which was also agreed and the case was adjourned.