A father of two has been charged with attacking four men during “an incident of large scale violence” in Dublin city-centre.
A man in his 20s, who was among a group of Slovakians on a night out, remains in a serious condition after sustaining a head injury at Ushers Quay on Sunday night.
Mark Madden, 33, from Oliver Bond flats, Dublin 8, but living for nine years in Birmingham, England, appeared at Dublin District Court on Wednesday.
He was charged with assault causing harm to four other men during the incident, including one who allegedly suffered a fractured eye socket.
He also has an additional charge for unlawful possession of 360 alprazolam tablets worth €720 and possessing them with intent to supply, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act, in the south inner city on Monday.
He has yet to enter a plea; bail was set at €8,000.
The painter-decorator appeared before Judge Treasa Kelly.
Objecting to bail, Garda Richie Pender said: “This was an incident of large-scale violence”, but he accepted the accused did not cause the severe head injury to the man taken to Beaumont Hospital.
However, it was alleged he attacked four other men from his group, and one of them had a broken eye socket.
During exchanges with defence solicitor Peter Connolly, he agreed the accused had been in a local pub with a group of Irish people, and the Slovakian group was also there.
Mr Connolly said both groups seemed to have been drinking in that pub for several hours, “and there may have been verbals communicated”.
The solicitor said that it led to a melee outside, and there was no allegation his client inflicted the injury on the hospitalised man.
“No, the injured party received one punch from an individual, not the accused,” Garda Pender replied.
He also said that it was claimed Mr Madden punched four other males, resulting in significant injuries.
Arguing for bail, Mr Connolly said his client regularly returns to see his family, and his mother still lives in Dublin.
He asked the judge to note the case was part of an ongoing investigation and that the trial may not be heard for about two years. His client wished to be able to live in the UK but remain in phone contact and return to Ireland once a month when he would sign on at a Garda station.
The court heard he had family members who could stand his bail, and an address in Dublin was available to him.
Judge Kelly held that the garda had grounds to object, but the court could impose conditions.
On taking up bail, he must stay out of parts of Dublin, remain in regular contact with gardaí, and reside at the address he had furnished to gardaí.
He will appear at Cloverhill District Court on Friday. Legal aid was granted.
