A seventh potential identity has come to light in the case of a failed asylum seeker claiming to be from Palestine and Jordan, who continues to be referred to in court only as “Unknown Unknown”, reports Breaking News.
The man, who was found without identification, is accused of hindering a drug search that took place on Monday at Store Street in Dublin city centre.
He appeared before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court on Tuesday, where Garda OisÃn O’Toole expressed concern over the fact that the man had provided six different names and five different birth dates, reports Breaking News.
He was placed in custody for further investigation, and proceedings resumed on Thursday.
Garda O’Toole explained that in the days between court appearances, someone who claimed to be a friend of the accused came to Store Street Garda Station in an attempt to convince officers that the accused used a specific identity.
Judge Brennan was told that Garda O’Toole also contacted the International Protection Office in Dublin to verify a public service card number that the accused possessed when arrested, reports Breaking News.
Following that, Garda O’Toole received images and information from a passport under a different name, but said he still could not confirm whether the accused was the person shown in the photograph.
Judge Brennan ordered the continued detention of “Unknown Unknown”, who remained silent during the hearing, to reappear at Cloverhill District Court next Thursday as investigations by gardaà and his solicitor into his real identity continue, reports Breaking News.
His solicitor, Paul Byrne, informed Judge Brennan that he had been “stonewalled” when trying to get information from the IPAS centre about his client.
At Tuesday’s hearing, it was revealed that the accused claimed to have stayed at accommodation outside Dublin, including centres located in Mullingar and Arklow.
Garda O’Toole had said that while in custody at Store Street station, the man was given access to an interpreter by phone, but still declined to provide even basic personal information, reports Breaking News.
The court was told that he repeatedly altered his names, dates of birth, and nationalities. The Garda National Immigration Bureau had no existing records matching the data he gave.
The accused, who has received legal aid, did not speak during either the Tuesday or Thursday bail hearings and has not yet entered a plea, reports Breaking News.
Although he previously had an interpreter, during his most recent court appearance his solicitor said he had “enough English to get by”.
He explained that at the early stage of proceedings, his client had been panicked and that the situation stemmed from a lack of self-assurance, reports Breaking News.
The court heard that he has been in Ireland for a year and had failed in his application for asylum.
He also had a public service card, and a photo found on his phone showed a manual handling certificate issued under a different name, reports Breaking News.
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