ALIBI WARNING | 

Man (34) accused of attacking woman in Midlands park to stand trial

Michal Godla, of Annaly Court, Longford appeared at a sitting of Longford District Court on Tuesday

Today at 12:39

A man in his 30s is to stand trial accused of attacking and threatening to kill or cause serious harm to a woman in a public park in county Longford.

Thirty-four-year-old Michal Godla, of Annaly Court, Longford appeared at a sitting of Longford District Court on Tuesday arising out of an incident at The Mall, Longford town on August 7, 2023.

The alleged assault was on a female aged in her 50s as she undertook a walk of the county town’s civic amenity at around 2:30am.

She sustained serious facial injuries as a result of the incident and was taken to Mullingar’s Midland Regional Hospital for treatment.

The accused, who has appeared at a number of district court sittings previously, stood impassively beside his solicitor with his hands clasped throughout a brief five minute hearing.

Detective Garda Orla Geraghty gave evidence of having served a book of evidence on Godla shortly before the commencement of the day’s court proceedings.Sergeant Mark Mahon, for the State, said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented for Godla to be sent forward for trial on the two charges contained in the book of evidence.

They allege Godla assaulted and caused harm to the woman while also threatening to kill or cause serious harm to her during the same incident.

Judge Patricia Cronin was told there were no objections to bail with Godla being sent forward on the same conditions he is currently under.She also gave him the ‘alibi warning’, advising him he had 14 days to notify the State of any alibi he wished to rely on during the course of his trial.

Defence solicitor Frank Gearty said his client was currently out of work and given the nature of the charges applied for Godla’s legal aid certificate to cover the appointment of both a junior and senior counsel.Judge Cronin granted that request on the basis one of the counts in the book of evidence was a Section 5 threat to kill or cause serious harm charge.

Godla was remanded on continuing bail, to appear back before a sitting of Longford Circuit Criminal Court on July 9.