A PENSIONER FRESHLY served with divorce papers has been accused of breaking a safety order by locking his wife out of their house and threatening to burn it down.

The man, in his 70s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, avoided being held in custody when he appeared before Judge Grainne Malone at Dublin District Court on Saturday after being charged under the Domestic Violence Act.

He has yet to indicate a plea, but the court heard the retired father told gardaí, “All lies, I did nothing,” when they charged him that morning.

Following a recess to allow him to instruct his barrister, the court heard that he was applying for bail.

The judge was told the man allegedly told his wife to go out and bring back some money.
It was claimed that “He locked her out and then threatened to burn the house down”.

Gardaí arrived at their south Dublin suburb and arrested him on Saturday morning.

Kevin McCrave BL, defending, said his client could provide an alternative address and would agree to reside there. Counsel stressed that his client had no record of failing to appear in court before.

While he previously had proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act, he was not currently on bail for other charges, the court heard.

The judge also noted the allegation before the court was breaching a safety order, that there were no charges for making threats and that he had also provided a new address.
Granting €200 bail, she warned him to obey conditions.

He had to give gardaí his phone number and be contactable, stay away from the complainant, and have no contact with her “directly or indirectly”.

He was also told he could only go to the house to retrieve possessions if a garda accompanied him.

Judge Malone warned him that it was essential to comply with those terms, or he risked being held in custody.

“Thank you,” the OAP replied as he was released and ordered to appear again next week.

The accused and the complainant cannot be identified due to the Domestic Violence Act’s reporting restrictions.