Man brandishes fake gun and hoax bomb in family court
Security is to be provided at family law courts in Dublin following an incident in which a man brandished an imitation gun and a hoax bomb in a courtroom while a case was being heard.
The Courts Service has insisted on changes after a judge, court staff, lawyers and members of the public were left terrified when the man, who was waiting for his case to be called, began shouting threats, confronted his ex-partner and a barrister, pulled what appeared to be a firearm out of a bag, and opened his jacket to reveal an improvised device.
Gardaí were on the scene within minutes and arrested the man but the entire building had to be evacuated and army bomb disposal experts brought in to deal with the device. It was later destroyed by controlled explosion before being removed for forensic examination.
Court sittings were abandoned for several hours and staff were unable to access their offices as a wide cordon was kept around the building, shutting off the adjacent public plaza and numerous businesses and cafes. The Luas was also disrupted as the line runs through the plaza.
The incident happened in the family court section of Phoenix House in Smithfield, Dublin shortly after 11.30am while Judge Susan Ryan was presiding.
The building is near the Four Courts complex and the Bridewell Garda Station but unlike the Four Courts, which handles civil cases, and the Criminal Courts Complex 15 minutes walk away, there is no screening of visitors and rarely any visible Garda presence
Senior gardaí and Courts Service management held talks about the situation yesterday afternoon. In a statement, the Courts Service, said it was “very concerned” at what had happened. “This incident highlights the need to constantly keep courthouse security under review — in terms of both a Garda presence and appropriate security at each court sitting,” a spokesman said.
The barristers’ body said it had raised security issues with the Courts Service previously.
“The Bar of Ireland will continue to actively engage with all relevant parties to ensure the protection of our members, and to facilitate a safe environment in which barristers can advocate on behalf of their clients,” it said.
A dedicated new family courts complex is on the cards for a nearby site at Hammond Lane where, the Courts Service said, “airport-style security” would be installed, but progress on the project is bogged down in discussions on costs and scale.
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said providing the new complex was a priority for him. He said of the incident: “While thankful that nobody involved was injured, I am nonetheless conscious of the impact on the judge, court personnel and all others in the court at the time.
“The security of the courts and the safety of all who use the courts is a matter of the highest priority for me. The courts play a fundamental role in our justice system and must always be able to operate without hindrance.”
The man who was arrested remained in Garda custody last night.
