A mute individual was detained by police after being accused of orchestrating a knife assault on a volunteer monk at Dublin’s Capuchin Day Centre. Following the incident, which happened during the breakfast serving time last Thursday, Father Ademir Marques was taken to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital with a non-critical head wound.
The officers apprehended 38-year-old Anthony Geraghty at the homeless day centre shortly after 10.45am and moved him to the Bridewell police station where he was charged with causing harm to Father Marques as well as illegal possession of a knife.
Mr Geraghty made no statement when charged and there was resistance to his bail application. He, however, did not request bail during his hearing before Judge Mark O’Connell. Dressed in a blue sweater and grey jogging bottoms, Geraghty, a resident of a hostel at Fitzwilliam Street Lower in Dublin, entered the courtroom with an unsteady gait.
Amanda Connolly, his defence solicitor, said of Mr Geraghty, “I can inform the court that he definitely has cognitive difficulties and is also mute”. As far as possible, Ms Connolly tried to communicate with him effectively, and there was a mutual decision not to pursue bail.
Judge O’Connell agreed to Mr Geraghty’s detention for a complete mental and psychological evaluation to ascertain his capacity to plead. He is due to appear for his next session on Tuesday, preferably via a video link, as recommended by his solicitor.
Ms Connolly stated his mute condition would make an in-person court appearance unfair and added that she would coordinate with the prison’s mental health staff.
The justice concurred with her appeal to orchestrate a comprehensive mental health evaluation while also approving legal aid. Managed by the Franciscan Monks, a homeless people’s centre is operated in the heart of the city. This centre, serving breakfast routinely from 8 in the morning until half past 11, delivers amenities like showers and other basic necessities to individuals as well as families experiencing homelessness. The Capuchin Day Centre’s leading executive, Brian Friel, expressed in a statement that luckily, their team managed to act quickly, leading to only minor injuries for Fr Ademir. He will resume his regular duties by the following day.