A man appeared in Dublin District Court yesterday charged with threatening to kill Sunday World journalist Paul Williams.
Mr James Walsh (43), a self-employed builder from Mountainview Drive, Rathfarnham, Dublin, was charged with twice threatening to kill the crime reporter at places unknown within the Dublin Metropolitan District on June 25th last.
Garda Mark Gallagher, Crumlin, said he arrested Mr Walsh at the Rathmines Inn pub at lunchtime yesterday. He was brought to Crumlin Garda station where, after he was charged, he made no reply.
Gardaí had no objection to bail on condition that he would not have any contact with Mr Williams and stay away from the reporter's home and from the Sunday World offices in Terenure.
Judge James Scally set Mr Walsh's bail at €300 and an independent surety of €1,000 with the conditions requested. He also ordered that he sign-on daily at his local Garda station and undertake not to apply for a new passport or other travel document. The court heard he had already surrendered his passport to gardaí. Mr Liam Hackett, Mr Walsh's solicitor, said a Francis O'Hara was available to put up the independent bail pending checking by gardaí.
His client was seeking free legal aid because he was a "self-employed small builder". He had been in custody for a period since last September and while he was the owner of his home in Rathfarnham, he was estranged from his wife.
Judge Scally granted free legal aid. He remanded Mr Walsh in custody, with consent to bail as fixed, to appear again on March 4th.