A man accused of endangering his baby daughter after removing her from a Dublin hospital against the wishes of staff has been freed on bail.
The 33-year-old man, who cannot be named, denied the charge which arose after he left Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin on Tuesday with the 10-week-old child, who had undergone an operation some weeks ago.
Dublin District Court heard yesterday that it was alleged the man took the baby at about 10.30am from a ward while a nurse went to speak to a consultant about his request to take her home. He also allegedly had a car waiting outside.
Garda Kevin Martin said it took nearly seven hours before the child was returned by the accused and only on the basis that he was escorted back to the hospital to hand over the child himself. There had been numerous contacts with him, via mobile phone, by gardaí and hospital staff.
As a result of one such contact, Garda Martin said, he agreed to hand over the child at his home but when officers arrived, he allegedly tried "to evade capture" by climbing over a wall with the child in his arms.
His solicitor, Fiona Brennan, said he had gone to the hospital having been told by the baby's mother that the child was fit to be released on Tuesday. He had washed and dressed the child and got a lift outside the hospital.
There were no open wounds on the child and she had not undergone an operation a few days ago, as reported in one national newspaper, but had been operated on eight weeks previously, Ms Brennan said.
Her client had a daily involvement in visiting the child and had been trained in giving her injections she would require when discharged from hospital.
There was no conflict or row between the parents and the mother of the child was prepared to give evidence to that effect, the solicitor added.
Garda Martin said he had been informed by staff at the hospital that while the child was fit for release, there was a question over to whom this should be and their ability to look after her.
The baby had undergone the first of three operations she required and a medical team was due to hold a conference over the next few days as to when the next operation should be performed.
Garda Martin was also concerned about a comment made by the father on his way to court, that the baby would be "out anyway in three days". He believed this was a threat to try to take the baby again.
Judge Leo Malone said if he undertook not to remove the child from hospital again, he would grant bail. The solicitor said he would do so.
Judge Malone granted him his own bail of €300 with a condition that he stay away from the hospital and sign on daily at his local Garda station. He is to appear again on November 16th.