An 18-year-old man charged with violent disorder and brandishing a hammer as a weapon during an incident in Dublin's Phoenix Park last week has claimed in court that "this isn't some sort of attack on the gay community".
Reece Murphy was remanded on €800 bail with conditions pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions after he appeared at Dublin District Court on Monday.
He was charged with alleged offences on the night of June 17th. Later in the week, Fine Gael's Barry Ward highlighted in the Seanad reports of gay men being chased and confronted in the park.
Gardaí have since said they have been in touch with LGBTQI+ advocacy groups.
Mr Murphy, an apprentice steel fabricator of Rowlagh Avenue, Clondalkin, was arrested on Sunday and detained at Cabra Garda Station.
Officers charged him, and he was held overnight before appearing before Judge Treasa Kelly on Monday.
"My client wishes me to mention in open court that he is not someone who is in any way homophobic, and this isn't some sort of attack on the gay community, Judge. I am instructed to say that in open court, that he is anxious, that there is media present," defence solicitor Wayne Kenny told Judge Kelly.
Gardaí charged the teenager with violent disorder, production of a hammer as a weapon at Military Road and two counts of dangerous driving in Phoenix Park on June 17th.
Detective Garda Mark Reilly said the accused "was handed a true copy of each charge and made no reply". He had no objection to bail subject to conditions.
The defence solicitor confirmed that the terms had already been canvassed, and there was consent to them being imposed on his client.
The first was to "remain out of Phoenix Park, and any other public park", and the detective asked for a curfew because of "the nature of the charges" and the incident allegedly happened after 10pm.
The judge specified that the curfew hours would be 11pm—6am. At the behest of Detective Garda Reilly, she ordered the teenager to provide his phone number and be contactable at all times.
The defence said Mr Murphy needed 24 hours to replace his phone, which had been seized by the gardaí.
Judge Kelly warned him that he must always have his new phone charged and switched on and answer it when called.
He had surrendered his passport and was ordered to notify gardaí of any address change.
The detective wanted the court to order him to sign on daily at his local Garda station. However, the judge held that the daily signing-on condition was "excessive" because the accused did not have a bench warrant history, so she told him he must do so three days a week.
The judge agreed to Detective Garda Reilly's request for another condition: "no contact, directly or indirectly, with the injured parties or witnesses in this case." She told Mr Murphy that this included social media apps and "no references to them on social media" or "bumping into them on the street".
She noted that gardaí needed to obtain the DPP's directions and ordered the young man to appear again on September 16th. Legal aid was granted.
Dressed in a black jacket and grey jeans, the accused remained silent during the hearing but instructed his solicitor to address the court on his behalf.
