Accused told to comply with 2km regulations when out exercising  

A MAN who is accused of breaching the terms of a safety order has been told to comply with the government’s public health guidelines when exercising.

The man, whose aged in his 30s, appeared before Limerick District Court after he was charged in connection with an incident which is alleged to have occurred on Easter Sunday.

Limerick District Court was told the complainant attended a garda station in the city shortly after she observed her former partner jogging near where she lives.

The offence is alleged to occurred on the outskirts of the city and the defendant was arrested at his home – elsewhere in the city a number of days later.

Judge Marian O’Leary was told the woman was driving to a local takeaway  when she observed the defendant. There was no suggestion the accused had tried to interact with her.

When the defendant was arrested and charged by gardai he replied: “I was out for a run and she came up from behind me in her car and went up and turned around and came back towards me”.

Seeking bail on behalf of his client, solicitor Con Barry said his client accepts he was “more than 2km” from his home but added he was on the main road and had not approached the woman or her home.

He said the defendant has a relative living near where the incident occurred and that there was “no intention to break the law”.

The solicitor submitted the evidence in the case was “weak”.

Gardai opposed bail expressing concern there would be further breaches of the order which was previously issued by a family law court.

Having considered the matter, Judge O’Leary granted bail and adjourned the matter to October.

In doing so, she directed that the defendant “comply with the government regulations” when he is exercising.