Cost of Athlone Garda Station damage "nearly €23,000"

Athlone District Court has heard that nearly €23,000 worth of damage was caused to the town's Garda station during an incident alleged to have been carried out by a 39-year-old man in January of this year.

Photos of broken glass at the entrance to the station, as well as damage to its front desk and to Garda vehicles parked outside, circulated widely on social media following the incident on January 25 last.

Adil Muhammad, of no fixed abode, appeared on March 11 via video link at a sitting of district court, after he was previously charged with three criminal damage offences.

These include causing damage to both the back and front windscreen of two garda vehicles, as well as damage to the interior of the station on Barrack Street.

Mr Muhammad is accused of "using a beer keg" to carry out damage during the course of the alleged incident.

Sergeant Sandra Keane told the court that the prosecution's file in relation to the three charges was "almost complete" and that it was expected to be sent to the State solicitor’s office over the coming days.

Sergeant Keane, for the DPP, added that there had been a repair bill of just under €23,000 for the damage caused to the garda station alone.

The accused has been in custody since the day after the alleged offences and had previously undergone psychiatric assessment.

His solicitor Mark Cooney said the court had previously "left a window open" to Mr Muhammad potentially securing bail once the required psychiatric reports had been fully compiled.

In light of this, Mr Cooney told Judge Bernadette Owens he would be seeking a further seven-day adjournment as opposed to the four week adjournment sought by the State.

The solicitor said he was seeking the additional week in order to establish the level of service provision that could be made available to Mr Muhammad in the event that he was granted bail.

Judge Owens agreed to the request and remanded the defendant in custody to appear again before a sitting of Athlone District Court on Wednesday of this week (March 18).

The judge said the court expected both an update on the status of the prosecution's file and a psychiatric report to “address community mental health options” for Mr Muhammad.