A garda told an African woman her children were "crying like monkeys" and dragged her husband into a police van, it was claimed in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
Speaking through an interpreter, Congolese national Ms Delly Wantete told a jury her husband had scrapes on his arms and knees after being pinned down and handcuffed by gardai at 3.30 a.m.
She also said a garda waved a gun in his right hand and accused her of having a cooking grinder that could be used to kill people. She said she was thrown to the ground and claimed some of the gardai seemed to have been drinking before the raid.
Mrs Wantete was giving evidence in her husband's defence. He is on trial for assaulting gardai and resisting and obstructing them at Rafters Road, Drimnagh, on May 1st, 1998.
Mr Wantete (33) has denied assaulting Garda Sean Collum and Garda Gearoid McCarthy causing them harm and also resisting and obstructing Det Sgt Gus Keane. He is alleged to have bitten Garda Collum on the neck and kicked Garda McCarthy.
The jury has heard that the gardai searched the house some hours after a Nigerian national, who had been arrested in connection with stolen credit cards, incorrectly gave it as his address.
In rebuttal evidence, Det Sgt Keane, the garda alleged to have waved a gun, said he was lefthanded and would not have held it in his right hand. He also said that none of the gardai had been drinking.