Trevor Quinn and Ann Healy
A 27-year-old Castlebar man was remanded in custody yesterday (Monday) following an arson attack on Castlebar Garda Station which occurred over the weekend.
Mark Maughan, 14 Northbrook Avenue, Castlebar, appeared before Galway District Court yesterday morning. The incident occurred after the suspect entered the lobby of Castlebar Garda Station at 4.15am on Sunday morning and threw what is believed to be a petrol bomb towards two gardaí who were in the public office.
The gardaí who were in the public office at the time of the incident were described as being shocked when they witnessed the man running in to the station and throwing the object towards the glass hatch.
Immediately after the incident the gardaí gave chase and the suspect was arrested a short distance away and brought to Westport Garda Station where he was detained on Sunday night.
Maughan was subsequently charged with committing arson and damage to the public foyer area of Castlebar Garda Station, on November 20, contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.
At Galway District Court yesterday defence solicitor, John Martin applied to the court for bail on behalf of his client, whom, he said, was married and an unemployed father of two.
Gardaí objected to bail and applied to the court to have the accused remanded in custody. Judge Mary Fahy refused the bail application and she remanded the accused in custody to Harristown District Court next Friday, November 25. She also directed that the accused is given medical attention while in prison.
A Garda Spokesperson told The Mayo News that the station lobby was “engulfed in flames” moments after the attack, and shortly afterwards two units of the fire brigade arrived at the scene to quench the fire. There was a small amount of smoke damage caused to Castlebar Garda Station, however after being closed temporarily the building was soon reopened.
This latest incident follows another unrelated attack on a Mayo Garda Station after a smoke canister was thrown in to a small public office at Westport Garda Station just over one week ago.