Two Dublin men accused of ransacking a pub recently bought by UFC star Conor McGregor have been refused bail.
Charles Darcy, 33, of Croftwood Park, Ballyfermot and Jason Paget, 34, from John Field Road, Dublin 8 were arrested in the early hours of Thursday.
They were charged with burglary and criminal damage of the Marble Arch pub in Drimnagh, Dublin and trespassing at houses in the vicinity afterwards.
They appeared before Judge Brian O’Shea at Dublin District Court Friday and faced objections to bail.
Mr Darcy made no reply when the charges were put to him.
Marble Arch
Garda Brendan D’Arcy and Garda Sean MaGee said it was alleged gardai at Sundrive Road station became aware at 3.23am of a burglary in progress at the Marble Arch.
On arrival they saw two males attempting to carry a cash register containing €800 out of the pub before they fled.
It was alleged that CCTV footage showed Charles Darcy getting out of a 131-reg car outside the pub beforehand and forcing entry which caused damage to the security door.
The doors had been “forced open” and the pair had been attempting to remove the till through the broken shutters, Garda D’Arcy said.
They were arrested following a search of the area.
Charles Darcy was arrested in a garden 50 metres away at 3.30am.
CCTV
The garda maintained he was in the same clothes as one of the people on the CCTV footage.
Defence counsel Keith Spencer said that will be a matter for the trial, but his client contended that he had been in a house in the area, from which he had become excluded at the time.
Mr Spencer said his client, a father-of-one, had addresses available to him and could propose a €2000 surety. There was no facial features visible in the CCTV evidence, he submitted.
Mr Paget was arrested about a half hour after the burglary. Karl Monahan BL submitted that his client maintains he had also been visiting a house in the area. Garda Magee alleged he had €225 on him which came from the pub.
He agreed with counsel that the second burglar in the security footage was wearing a mask, but it matched Covid mask worn by Mr Paget. Mr Paget maintained the person in the video had a ski-mask, the court heard.
Mr Monahan submitted his client would abide by strict conditions including a curfew. He did not have means but could offer €200 bail.
Refusing bail, Judge O’Shea remanded them in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court next week. He also held the case, subject to consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions, should be sent forward for trial in the circuit court, which has tougher sentencing powers.
Legal aid was granted.
