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Dublin woman accused of twice biting Center Parcs security guard has case adjourned

Jobless mother of one, Ann Marie Roche had appeared previously where she entered not guilty pleas

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A Dublin woman accused of biting a security guard twice in quick succession at leisure resort giant Center Parcs has seen her case adjourned to allow for further CCTV and possible further witnesses to be sought out.

Forty-one -year-old Ann Marie Roche, of Baskin Lane, Cloughran, Swords, Dublin appeared at a sitting of Longford District Court on Friday charged with with two counts of assault causing harm arising out of an incident on June 10, 2022.

Jobless mother of one, Roche had appeared previously where she entered not guilty pleas to biting the hand of a security guard, resulting in the case being sent for hearing before Judge John Brennan.

At its outset, the court was told the alleged incident unfolded inside a sports bar within the resort’s 400 acre site in Ballymahon at around 9:30pm.

Defence solicitor Ray Lannon said the incident took place as the alleged victim went to assist a woman who had “passed out” causing his client to intervene moments later.

Mr Lannon applied for the case to be struck out on a number of grounds, most notably on the basis key CCTV footage and potentially vital eye witness statements had not been furnished to the defence.The court was also told a number of potential witnesses were contacted with three of those declining to make statements.

Judge Brennan said while he would not be acceding to the defence’s request to strike out the charges, the court was obliged to adjourn the case to allow for “clarification of (additional) CCTV and further witnesses” to be canvassed for.

In doing so, he marked the case as “peremptory against the State”, meaning progress must be made when the case returns or the charges could be struck out.

Roche was remanded on bail with a date of July 16 pencilled in to fix a new hearing date.