Assault-accused seeks return to Longford after two months without water and electricity

A 30-year-old man before the court on a charge of assault causing harm, arising from an alleged incident in Longford town on January 28 this year, has applied to vary his bail conditions as he seeks to move back into his mother’s house, 47 Lana Aoibhinn, Longford town.

Martin Grundza, who is currently living in Ballinasloe, County Galway, told the court that he had been living without electricity or running water for almost two months claiming they had been turned off in a bid to “push” him out.

Court Sergeant Mark Mahon said Gardaí “did not consent to the application to vary bail.”

Asking if the Gardaí intended to give evidence, Sgt Mahon explained they were not in a position to do so on that particular day.

Judge Bernadette Owens said she wanted to first look through the charges that were before the court in order to establish what progress could be made on each.

Upon being asked by Judge Owens for an update on the charge sheet that contained the bail conditions the defendant was seeking to vary, Sgt Mahon explained that the file was still being compiled.

“The reason for this,” he said, “was because there were over twenty people from two opposing families involved and (an alleged) violent incident.”

Sgt Mahon added that a new investigating Garda had also taken over the matter following the previous investigator’s transfer.

He explained, “Garda Carty transferred to a different area and another garda, Garda Hallinan, has taken over the investigation. She is in the process of assembling the file.”

Sgt Mahon said it would be “the new year at this stage” when Gardaí would be in a position to move forward with seeking directions on the matter.

In response, Judge Owens said the defendant, Mr Grundza, was “entitled to have his application to vary his bail more expeditiously than that.”

It was explained in court that Grundza’s application to vary his bail was based on the fact that his lease in Ballinasloe had expired and that he wanted to move back to live at his mother’s residence at 47 Lana Aoibhinn, St Michael’s Road in Longford town.

It was at this point that Grundza interjected to add, “Your Honour, if I could just add, nearly the past two months the electricity and the water has been off because he’s trying to push me out so I’ve been there on my own for the past two months with no water or electricity.”

In response, Judge Owens said, “The difficulty I have Mr Grundza is that as of today the State are saying to me that they are not happy to consent to the variation.”

“I explained to the sergeant that if that’s their position, they’re going to have to call evidence to convince me, equally in the same way as you are going to have to convince me as to why I should vary the bail.”

The Judge proposed dealing with the matter at the next sitting of Longford District Court on October 27.