https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/man-charged-over-attempted-abduction-21246450Man charged over attempted abduction in Dublin told gardai it was 'joke that went wrong', court hearsMartin Gallagher, 20, with an address of Rusheeney Avenue, Hartstown, Dublin 15 wept while in the dock and blew a kiss at his family members when led away by GardaiByCiara Phelan
15:26, 9 JAN 2020
A court has heard that a man who has been charged with the false imprisonment and assault causing harm to a woman told Gardai he was sorry and the alleged attack was a “joke that went wrong.”
Martin Gallagher, 20, with an address of Rusheeney Avenue, Hartstown, Dublin 15 wept while in the dock and blew a kiss at his family members when led away by Gardai.
The charge against the father of one is in connection to an alleged attack of a woman in her late 60s which is alleged to have occurred on Monday morning.
The court heard that although investigating gardai had no note of a reply when Mr Gallagher was charged, his solicitor Michael Kelleher told Judge Bryan Smyth that his client said “I’m sorry it was a joke that went wrong’” when charged.
The father of one appeared before the District court at the Criminal Courts of Justice at 12.20pm today.
Mr Gallagher has been remanded in custody at Cloverhill Prison and will appear before Cloverhill District Court again in January 16th.
He was granted legal aid.
Dressed in a navy sweater, light grey pant and runners, he did not address the court but blew a kiss to family members in the public gallery at the end of his hearing.
The man was originally released yesterday morning after being questioned for 24 hours at Blanchardstown Garda Station under section four of the Criminal Justice Act (1984).
But he was re-arrested yesterday evening in relation to the alleged incident by investigating gardai on foot of an arrest warrant issued by a District Court earlier in the day.
It’s understood the man does not know the woman and the alleged attack was “random.”
The alleged incident occurred when the woman, who is said to be badly shaken following the alleged attack, was out for her morning walk.
The woman was walking along Blackhorse Avenue at Martin's Grove near the Phoenix Park at around 7.30am on Monday when a man allegedly attempted to force her into the boot of a car.
She managed to flee the scene.
Investigators also confirmed a vehicle "of interest to the investigating team" has also been detained and is being forensically examined.
Gardai are also keen to speak to a woman who was walking her dog and spoke to the alleged injured party shortly before the alleged attempted abduction.
The two women met close to Cumiskeys pub on Blackhorse Avenue at around 7:30am on Monday.
A "sequence of information gathering checkpoints" were carried out on Tuesday morning at the location of the incident on Blackhorse Avenue.
Gardai are continuing to appeal to any person who was around Blackhorse Avenue on January 6 2020 between 6am and 8am or anyone who may have information about this incident who has not yet contacted gardai to come forward.
Gardai are also appealing to any road users who may have camera footage that were travelling in the Blackhorse Avenue area at this time to contact them.
