A SPECIAL sitting of Limerick District Court has remanded a 34-year-old man in custody in connection with an alleged tiger kidnapping in Limerick last month.
Zachary Coughlan Ryan, of no fixed abode, appeared before Judge Aeneas McCarthy after Det Garda Vincent Brick formally charged him on August 29 last in connection with the alleged false imprisonment of 19-year-old Stephen Cusack between August 19 and 20 last at Caislean na hAbhainn, Castletroy.
Giving evidence of arrest charge and caution, Det Garda Vincent Brick, told the court that the State, through the gardai, were objecting to bail.
He added that the accused made no reply to the charge when put to him.
Michael O’Donnell, solicitor, made a bail application but the court acceded to the objection of the State who noted the seriousness of the charge, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, if found guilty.
During the hearing, the accused took to the stand and pleaded his innocence to the charge stating that he had nothing to do with serious crime.
Bail was refused and the accused was remanded until September 9 to appear via video link.
A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also charged earlier last month with the false imprisonment of Stephen Cusack on the same dates – he remains on bail with strict conditions.
