An 18-year-old who appeared in court today charged in connection with an alleged incident in the Phoenix Park a week ago has stressed that it “was not some sort of attack on the gay community”.
Reece Murphy, an apprentice from Rowlagh Avenue in Clondalkin was brought before Dublin District Court this morning, where he was charged with violent disorder and production of a hammer on Monday 17 June and also with with dangerous driving at two locations in the Phoenix Park.
There had been much media speculation around the alleged incident after Senator Barry Ward said that he had been told that three gay men were “hunted” by six men with knifes.
He said the three men got away “but God knows what would have happened if they had not”.
Today, Mr Murphy’s solicitor told the court that his client had instructed him to relay to the open court that he was not in any way homophobic and this “was not some sort of attack on the gay community”.
Solicitor Wayne Kenny, acting for Mr Murphy, said the 18-year old was aware that the media were present in the court and that the accused wanted him to stress that point.
Mr Murphy was remanded on bail until 16 September and ordered to surrender his passport, sign on three times a week at a garda station and observe a curfew between 11pm and 6am.