A man charged in connection with a fatal stabbing, and who is currently on the dole, has put his £80,000 Kenmare home up as a personal bail bond. He has worked as "roadie" to pop singers, the court was told. When Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan heard in the High Court yesterday that Mr Robert Brian Anthony, of Derrylough, Tousist, Kenmare, Co Kerry, had an application before the courts for legal aid, he made a recommendation under the Attorney General's Scheme that the costs of his bail application be State-funded.
Mr Anthony is charged with assault, occasioning harm to Mr Phillip O'Sullivan, at Mr Anthony's home on the night of August 22nd last.
Det Insp Patrick Malone said there had been a fight in the house involving Mr Anthony and Mr O'Sullivan and a knife had been used. Although Mr O'Sullivan had subsequently died, the only charge Mr Anthony was facing was under the new Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Det Insp Malone said the gardai were awaiting directions from the DPP relating to any possible further charge. There was still the possibility of a question of self-defence being considered.
Mr Brendan Mulhall, counsel for the DPP, said the State had no objection to Mr Anthony being granted his own bail of £100 providing there were two independent sureties of £20,000 each.
Mr Niall Durnin, counsel for Mr Anthony, said such a demand was tantamount to denying his client bail. A neighbour and friend of Mr Anthony was prepared to go independent surety for £10,000 and his client was prepared to hand over the title of his £80,000 home as a personal undertaking of his turning up for his trial.
Mr Durnin said that although Mr Anthony was a native of London he had lived in Kenmare for the past seven years. Absences from Ireland had been caused by his profession as a "roadie" to the pop stars which took him around the continent.
He said Mr Anthony had remained at the scene until the arrival of gardai and had been fully co-operative with them. He had been in custody since.
In evidence, Mr Anthony said he merely required a fortnight of freedom to settle his affairs. He wished to clear his house of personal property which was in a very vulnerable situation. His home, on about an acre of ground, was worth at least £80,000 and he was prepared to sign over the title to his solicitor, Mr Colm Murphy, against any bail he might be granted.
Mr Justice Geoghegan said Mr Anthony had a history of leaving Ireland. He had a lot of relatives in London and his girlfriend, Ms Miranda Moynihan, of Fulham, London, also lived there. He felt it would be unreal to direct Mr Anthony to obtain two independent sureties of £20,000 each and he would grant him his own bail of £75,000 with one independent surety of £10,000.