A man has been granted strict bail amid concerns for an unidentified male whose head was allegedly stamped on repeatedly after intervening in an "extremely violent" attack on two women in Dundalk.
Lokman Benharkou (29), who resides in asylum accommodation at the Carnbeg Hotel, Armagh Road, Dundalk, Co Louth, was charged with assault causing harm to two women at Park Street at about 1.30am on Friday.
The Algerian national was granted bail with strict conditions when he appeared before Judge Susan Fay at a weekend sitting of Dublin District Court.
She heard gardaí remain concerned about the unidentified man who suffered serious facial injuries during an incident captured on CCTV.
Garda Michael Doherty said there were "serious concerns" for the male who left the scene before gardaí and paramedics arrived, and no one in the takeaway knew him.
'Very serious injuries'
The court heard that the male "yet to be identified had sustained very serious injuries as the suspect had stamped on his head a number of times, knocking him unconscious and causing serious facial injuries."
Mr Benharkou's reply to charges of attacking the two women was, "I'm sorry, I apologise for what I have done".
Garda Doherty objected to bail due to the seriousness of the incident, which he described as unprovoked and "extremely violent in nature".
It was alleged a man went into a takeaway, got into a verbal altercation, and attacked three people before leaving in the direction of Earl Street, Dundalk.
Gardaí observed the accused at Earl Street, and he told them, "I was just defending myself; I have done nothing wrong".
The two women told the garda that the man had entered the takeaway agitated and started to shout abuse at them.
It was alleged that he punched one of the women in the face, and she "immediately fell to the ground"; her female partner "jumped in front of the male to prevent further assaulting her partner. At that point, it was claimed he punched her in the back of the head, also knocking her down to the ground.
The court heard another male "intervened "and was punched, fell to the ground, and the accused allegedly began to "stamp" on his head three or four times, "knocking him unconscious".
According to the garda's evidence, the accused left the takeaway but returned soon after and assaulted the male again on the ground, "punching him to the head and face several times".
One of the women suffered a cut to her lower lip, had a sore and swollen jaw and received medical attention. However, gardaí were trying to ascertain the identity of the injured male.
Flight risk concerns
The garda also voiced flight risk concerns and told the court that the accused lived in a direct provision centre, having come to Ireland 11 months ago; before that, he spent 11 years in the UK.
Cross-examined by defence counsel Kevin McCrave, he agreed the accused had the presumption of innocence and no prior convictions or other cases pending. He accepted that gardaí had yet to speak to the injured male.
The court heard the accused had applied for refugee status, and the defence submitted that the accused would surrender his travel documentation and obey other conditions.
Pleading for bail, Mr McCrave submitted there had been hearsay evidence about the yet-to-be-interviewed and identified male, and while it was quite concerning, the reality was unknown.
The accused also had two charges for theft of €5 and a phone from a man in Dundalk on August 6th.
Judge Fay granted bail to Mr Benharkou and added a list of conditions to his €100 bond. She warned the accused, who is yet to indicate a plea, he must notify gardaí of any address change, sign on daily at the local garda station, obey a 10pm-7am curfew, be contactable by phone 24 hours a day, remain sober and have no contact with witnesses.
She also ordered him to surrender his passport, not apply for a duplicate, and stay out of parts of Dundalk.
Mr Benharkou was granted legal aid and ordered to appear at Dundalk District Court on September 6th.
