Kildare man arrested after alleged romance gun threat

A young Naas man has been remanded in custody after an incident over a broken romance which led to threats to kill with a loaded shotgun.

At Naas District Court today (January 3), 19 year old Jack Clarke, of Pluckerstown, Kilmeague, Allen, appeared before Judge Desmond Zaidan in relation to incidents yesterday at Pluckerstown.

Mr Clarke is charged with possession of a single barrel Baikal shotgun.

He is also charged with threatening to a kill a Garda and another person.

Garda Hugh Dawson told the Court that the charges were put to Mr Clarke at 11.04am this morning  and he made no reply to them.

Conal Boyce, solicitor, for Mr Clarke, said there would be objections to bail and Mr Clarke would not be applying for it.

Garda Dawson said Mr Clarke got access to his grandfather’s shotgun and had made threats to kill with it, both a Garda and another person.

Garda Dawson said Mr Clarke eventually surrendered the firearm and was taken into custody.

The Garda said the gun was loaded and Mr Clarke had three extra cartridges in his pocket.

Mr Boyce said the incident arose from “an affair of the heart.”

Garda Inspector Oliver Henry said it will be alleged there was a threat against a relative of Mr Clarke’s ex girlfriend. The  incident followed the “breakdown of a relationship.”

Mr Clarke’s father then told the Court: “He (defendant) is definitely not well. That was not him.”

Mr Clarke’s grandfather said his grandson had been on medication since last October for depression.

Mr Boyce said he wanted some assessment done, both psychiatric and psychological, and Judge Zaidan asked that it be done.

The case was adjourned until January 10.