‘terrified’ | 

Gang told mum they would ‘knock her teeth out’ over mistaken drug debt, court hears

Garda Shane Kennedy objected to bail due to the seriousness of the case, and he expressed concerns over possible witness interference.

Today at 09:06

MASKED men threatened a terrified Dublin mother they would “knock her teeth out” after mistakenly demanding she pay a €20,000 drug debt, a court has heard.

Stephen Joyce, 27, of Ratoath Road, Dublin 11, was accused of demanding money with menaces and threatening to kill or cause serious harm on August 30 last year.

He appeared at Dublin District Court yesterday when Judge Treasa Kelly set his bail at €40,000.

Mr Joyce was arrested earlier this week after the Director of Public Prosecutions directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.

Garda Shane Kennedy objected to bail due to the seriousness of the case, and he expressed concerns over possible witness interference.

A contested bail hearing was told that two men arrived at the woman’s home last May, and her husband answered after they “banged” on the door.

They were looking for a man called “Casper” but were told he did not live there. Judge Kelly heard they gave her husband a “burner phone”, and one of them said, “If you do not give me €20,000, I’m going to fire the house.”

The court heard they returned on August 29 wearing balaclavas and were again looking for Casper.

The woman was at work but received a notification from her doorbell system and could see they were talking to her husband.

Judge Kelly was told they returned a day later and spoke to the woman who was allegedly told, “I’ll put you in the back and break your teeth”. It was claimed they sought the payment again.

The garda also said there was CCTV evidence and that the woman had no involvement with criminality. He raised concerns that the same people kept looking for money after going to the wrong house.

The woman gave evidence remotely from a Garda station, and over the video link, she said she was terrified for herself and her family.

Defence solicitor Andrew Molony said his client acted as a carer for his mother, who had health problems. He also submitted that refusing bail could result in his client spending two years in custody pending trial.

Mr Molony proposed that Mr Joyce be released on bail with strict conditions.

Judge Kelly noted the accused had the presumption of innocence, but she set bail in his bond of €20,000, and ordered that a €20,000 independent surety also had to be approved.

She ordered him to provide the garda with his phone number and, once bail has been taken up, to have no contact with the woman, obey an 11 pm – 6 am curfew, sign on daily at a garda station, stay out of parts of north Dublin, and notify of any address change.

The judge granted legal aid and remanded him in custody with consent to bail to appear again next week.

The offences on conviction can carry maximum sentences of either 14 or ten years.

Mr Joyce has yet to indicate a plea.