A SON OF former politician Ivor Callely is to stand trial accused of attacking a man with an ignited firework in Copper Face Jacks.

27 year-old Oliver Callely, an address at Seamount Road, Malahide Dublin, was charged today and appeared before Judge Patricia Harney at Dublin District Court.

He was charged with assault causing harm to man at the popular nightclub on Dublin’s Harcourt Street on 6 September, 2015, contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

He was also accused of an offence under the Explosives Act alleging that he threw, directed or propelled an ignited firework at the alleged injured party.

Following extradition from the United States, he was charged at Pearse Street Garda station in Dublin this morning and he was brought to court.

Evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given by Detective Garda Niall Murray.

He told the judge that the accused “made no reply” to either charge after caution.

The Director of Public Prosecutions directed trial on indictment, meaning his case will be dealt with in the Circuit Court.

The accused, dressed in a white shirt, navy trousers and brown shoes, remained silent during the hearing and has not yet indicated how he will plead.

Objecting to bail, the garda told the judge that the matter went back a number of years.

Life in America

Directions were sought and he had engaged with Callely who allegedly missed appointments with the gardaí and then went to America.

He said the defendant was aware of the matter and that his mother had been contacted about the situation.

He said the accused “has a life made for him there, he has a girlfriend there”.

The garda agreed with defence solicitor Michael Hanahoe that the accused had told him he planned to go to America, however, he said he thought he was going for a holiday.

He also accepted he had missed one of the appointments with the accused.

The defence put it to him that he agreed to return, voluntarily.

The detective replied that he was arrested on 5 June and was in custody in America pending his return to Ireland.

The court heard he still had his visa but that he had surrendered his passport.

Book of evidence served

Pleading for bail, the solicitor said his client was willing to sign on at a Garda station daily and there was no risk he would leave.

Money could be lodged and some of the family of the accused were in court, he said.

His mother and a sister were in public gallery during the hearing.

The judge set bail at €5,000 and ordered that €2,500 had to be lodged. The defence solicitor said his client’s sister could deal with that.

A book of evidence was served on him and the judge made an order sending him forward for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where he will face his next hearing on 26 July.

As a condition of bail he was ordered to surrender his passport and not apply for new one, provide gardaí with a contact mobile phone number within 24 hours, reside at the address he gave to the court and sign on daily at Malahide Garda station.

He was also told he must notify the prosecution if he intended to use an alibi in his defence and an order was made for gardaí to hand over copies of video evidence to his solicitor.

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