Court told bus driver assaulted on new Laois route

A bus driver working on the new Portlaoise town service was the victim of a ‘very serious’ recent assault by a homeless man, according to Laois Gardaí. 

Glenn O’Neill(25) of No Fixed Abode, is accused of assault causing harm and causing €800 criminal damage to a glass panel bus door at Dublin Road, Portlaoise on April 24 last. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant had appeared before a special sitting of Portlaoise District Court on April 25 and went in voluntarily to Cloverhill.  

“The State would be strenuously opposing bail,” he told Judge Susan Fay when the bail application was made. 

Garda Eoin McMahon said he would be objecting to bail based on the seriousness of the charges. He said it would be alleged that the defendant smashed the window and assaulted the bus driver at the Dublin Road at 7.45pm on the date in question. 

He said a call had come in from the bus driver and “you could hear him being assaulted at the time.”

Garda McMahon said when gardaí arrived, three ambulance staff were attempting to hold the man down. He said the man was “screaming and covered in blood and trying to kick out” at both gardaí and paramedics. 

“I saw Glenn O’Neill being held down by three paramedics. He was screaming, resisting, covered in blood in an extremely aggressive state,” Garda McMahon said. “We had to use pepper spray,” he added. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said “this is the new bus service that is running in Portlaoise.” Garda McMahon said it was. Sgt Kirby then asked about the damage to the bus. 

Garda McMahon said the defendant  had been asked to get off the bus because he didn’t have a bus pass and that was when the damage occurred. “The driver got up to look at the damage and then was assaulted.” 

Garda McMahon said the bus driver has had to have a few hospital visits and suffered bruising to his eye sockets. 

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client had a bus pass but had been unable to locate it quickly enough. She said the man had mental health issues and had some temporary accommodation which may no longer be available. She said he would now have to apply to Laois County Council for emergency accommodation. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said if he was released on bail her client would agree to provide a new address in 72 hours, would refrain from using public transport, remain sober, provide a contact number and engage with mental health services. 

“I would be seeking bail on condition he work with mental health services,” she said. She said the incident “seems as though it is not at the most serious end” of offending.  

“I would say it is a very, very serious assault, Judge,” said Sgt Kirby. 

He said while the defendant enjoyed the presumption of innocence, he said he would have “a serious concern for the safety of the people of Portlaoise.”    

“I would think it is on the upper scale of the offences,” he said. 

He said the defendant had been “in a violent rage” when he attacked the bus driver and remained “highly aggressive" afterwards.

“The bus driver had cuts over his eye, head and elbow areas,” said Sgt Kirby. 

He said it was a serious assault and a file will be prepared for the DPP. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client was willing to abide by strict bail conditions and there was no evidence that he would commit serious offences if released on bail. 

Judge Susan Fay said the defendant comes before the court an innocent man. She said having heard the totality of the evidence she was satisfied to admit the defendant on bail subject to strict conditions.

The conditions included that he provide and address within 48 hours, obey a curfew, sign on twice daily at a garda station, provide a mobile number where he is contactable, have no contact directly or indirectly with the alleged injured party, that he stay away from all forms of public transport and that he attend mental health services.  

At the request of Ms Fitzpatrick, Judge Fay said she would extend legal aid to cover a report from a mental health specialist.  

She remanded the defendant on bail to appear again before Portlaoise District Court on May 12.