AN alleged robber threatened a teenager with scissors and a hurley, saying he would “slice him up” smash his head in and “blow his kneecaps off,” a court has been told.

Salem Abbas (22) is accused of ordering the boy (17) to withdraw €100 from at ATM, telling him he would put a “bullet in his head.”

When he was arrested weeks later, a garda said, he threatened he would “butcher” the youth, even when he was reminded that he was under caution.

Judge David McHugh refused to grant him bail when he appeared in Blanchardstown District Court on robbery and weapons charges. He was remanded in custody for the DPP to consider bringing further serious charges.

Mr Abbas, with an address at Linnetsfield Avenue, Clonee is accused of attempting to rob the youth at Coolmine Industrial Estate on October 22.

He is further charged with robbing the teenager of €100 and producing a hurling stick and scissors while robbing him at St Mochtas Grove, Clondalkin.

Objecting to bail, Garda Ciaran Brennan said the first incident happened at 1.15pm.

It was alleged the accused and another man approached the youth as he walked through the industrial estate with his 16-year-old girlfriend.

The accused pulled him into the car park and told him to empty his pockets, threatening to put a bullet in his head, slice him up and blow his kneecaps off, Gda Brennan said.

Later the same day, the alleged victim was approached by the same men in a housing estate, where they demanded his phone and anything else that was in his pockets.

He again threatened to put a bullet in his head, the garda said.

A car pulled up and it was alleged the accused demanded that he get into it. In the rear of the car, Gda Brennan said, Mr Abbas allegedly produced a pair of scissors and threatened the youth.

The prosecution further alleged the accused also produced a hurley and threatened to smash his head in with it.

He was told to jump over a wall, go to an ATM and withdraw €100, which was handed over to the second male, the garda continued.

When he was detained at Finglas Garda Station, he told gardai under caution: “I’m going to butcher (the alleged victim). I’m going to go to (his) house and I’m going to butcher him, just you see.”

CCTV footage of the attempted robbery was then shown to the court.

On it, the court heard, the alleged victim could be seen being grabbed by the arms and pulled back into the car park. He could be seen “trying to back away.”

When the accused made the alleged threats in the garda station, he was “very aggressive” and Gda Brennan said he believed he could carry them out. He said he believed he might know where the alleged victim lives.

The youth’s girlfriend was “too scared to attend court,” the garda said, she was “too scared to even leave the house.”

The DPP had not yet given directions in the case but the garda believed further charges could be proffered, including false imprisonment.

Applying for bail, defence solicitor Valerie Buckley said Ms Abbas was presumed innocent and it was not clear on the CCTV that that was her client.

He was prepared to abide by bail conditions including signing on daily at a garda station and staying away from the alleged victim. He had €500 to offer the court, which was a significant amount for his family.

The judge refused bail and remanded Mr Abbas in custody, to appear in Cloverhill District Court next week.

He has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to any of the charges.

Source: Read Full Article