Judge criticises gardaí as woman comes to court seeking protection from son

A woman told Naas District Court that her son had twice breached a protection order granted by the same court.

The woman told Judge Desmond Zaidan that he had effectively broken the order, which was granted on July 7.

She said on both occasions he was arrested and she was advised by a garda to come to court to seek a barring order.

Judge Zaidan said he had given her protection in the form of a protection order until February 9 next and he criticised the gardaí for passing it back to him.

Judge Zaidan said if a breach occurs the gardaí should bring the man to court and they can object to bail being granted.

This should be done, he said, instead of sending her back to court for a barring order.

The judge also said that referring the victims of a breach of a protection order to court seeking a barring order is "becoming common practice" because the gardaí “don't want to open a file.”