A MAN ACCUSED of attacking an off-duty garda in Dublin’s Temple Bar during an incident which left the officer in critical condition in hospital has consented to stay in custody.

Kevin Murphy, 34, with an address at North Frederick Street, Dublin 1, was remanded to prison last week after being charged with assault causing harm to two men, both off-duty gardaí, at Eustace Street, Dublin 2, in the early hours of 14December.

He is also accused of robbing the more seriously injured man of his phone and wallet containing his cards.

The accused, an unemployed man who has yet to indicate a plea, did not move a bail application at his first hearing and faced his second appearance at Dublin District Court today.

Dressed in a grey tracksuit and runners, he remained silent while defence solicitor Peter Connolly addressed the court.

Mr Connolly said, “Mr Murphy is not applying for bail, and there is consent for a straight remand for four weeks.”

Judge Michael Ramsey adjourned the case with the accused, who has been granted legal aid, to remain on prison remand.

He will appear again on 20 January via video link at Cloverhill District Court. Judge Ramsey noted that gardaí are seeking directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

At his previous hearing on Thursday, Detective Sergeant Paul Traynor told the court that Mr Murphy “made no reply” when the offences were put to him.

Last Tuesday, his co-accused Johnathan O’Neill, 32, with an address at Cromcastle Road, Kilmore, Dublin, was denied bail on identical charges.

In that hearing, Detective Sergeant Paul Carney alleged two men had been making their way home at 1.30 am on Saturday when two males attacked them.

That bail hearing was told that both men were knocked to the ground unconscious outside a pizzeria; one of them remains in hospital in critical condition and has undergone surgery twice.

It was alleged the second man, who had been discharged, suffered a concussion and cuts to his face and lip.

The court heard gardaí conducted an extensive investigation and obtained CCTV showing two men fleeing and remaining in the area for two hours following the incident.

However, the court heard there was no video evidence of the alleged assault.

Mr O’Neill allegedly took an “active role” in the robbery of the critically injured man and also the assault on him by joint enterprise.

It was claimed that Mr O’Neill punched and kicked the second man in the head, causing him to lose consciousness.

The detective sergeant said the out-of-work accused, also granted legal aid, had lived a transient lifestyle and had recently been of no fixed abode.

Cross-examined by defence solicitor Jenny McGeever, he agreed the accused did not accept he had punched the more seriously injured man.

Detective Sergeant Carney replied that gardaí were keeping an open mind, adding that the evidence suggests that Mr O’Neill was involved in both assaults.