A daughter and son of prominent publican Charlie Chawke have been remanded on bail charged with violently assaulting two men at the four-star Dunraven Arms Hotel in Adare, Co Limerick.
Alison Chawke (40), of The Beeches, Holywell, Goatstown, Dublin 14, is accused of gouging the eyes of one individual and kicking another in the head a number of times before allegedly biting him on the side of his face at the hotel on November 9th, 2023.
Ms Chawke is also accused of throwing a pint glass at the alleged victims and a number of other patrons who tried to intervene in the incident.
Bill Chawke (30), of Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2, was charged with two counts of assault causing harm, in which he allegedly threw punches at both individuals, and hit the head of one of the men off a bar counter at the hotel, which has hosted members of the British royal family, presidents and movie stars.
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Garda Ronan Hayes of Adare Garda station gave evidence before the District Court in Newcastle West, Co Limerick of arresting and charging both of the accused, who were represented in court by Dublin-based solicitor Michael Finucane.
Garda Hayes told the court that neither of the two accused made any reply when charged.
Insp Barry Manton told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed that the two accused be dealt with by summary disposal, meaning the District Court judge hears a summary of the alleged facts from the prosecuting garda before deciding whether they will allow the case to proceed or move to a higher court.
Outlining the prosecution’s case, Insp Manton alleged that, at about 30 minutes past midnight on November 9th, 2023, Alison and Bill Chawke were sitting at a bar at a hotel in Adare, as were the two alleged victims and other hotel patrons.
Initially, the two accused were involved in a verbal altercation with bar staff as well as the two alleged victims, before the brother and sister “put themselves in the personal space” of the staff and the two alleged victims “and it is alleged the [two] accused began a violent altercation”, Insp Manton alleged.
A number of other customers at the bar “tried to break it up”, but the altercation continued outside the bar and ended in a hallway at the hotel, Insp Manton alleged.
“It was all captured on CCTV,” he said.
Insp Manton told Judge Carol Anne Coolican that “it will be alleged that Bill Chawke, during this violent altercation, gouged the eyes of ‘injured party number one’ and hit the head of ‘injured party number one′, pushing it down on the bar in a forceful manner.”
He said it was also alleged that Mr Chawke “threw a number of punches against both injured parties”.
Insp Manton further alleged that “Alison Chawke gouged the eyes of ‘injured party number one’, went behind the bar and picked up a glass and threw it at persons involved, including other patrons that were trying to break it up”.
“Alison Chawke then made her way to a hallway and delivered a number of kicks to the head of ‘injured party number two’, and she bent down and bit him on the cheek,” he claimed.
After viewing all available footage of the alleged incident, the judge said: “I’m refusing jurisdiction and so the matter will go back before the DPP”.
Judge Coolican granted an application by Insp Manton for an eight-week adjournment to allow the State prepare a book of evidence. She said the two accused were “entitled to their presumption of innocence”.
The judge remanded the two accused on bail, on their own bonds of €100, which did not have to be lodged, to appear before the court again on December 3rd to be served a book of evidence.
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