Seventh possible ID emerges for 'Unknown Unknown' defendant

Tom Tuite

A seventh possible identity has emerged for an unsuccessful asylum seeker claiming to be from Palestine and Jordan, and who continues to be named only in court as "Unknown Unknown".

The accused, who had no identity documents, is accused of obstructing a drug search on Monday at Store Street in the city centre.

He appeared before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court on Tuesday when the investigating officer, Garda Oisín O'Toole, raised concerns over six different names and five dates of birth given by the man.

He was remanded in custody for further enquiries, and the case resumed on Thursday.

Garda O'Toole said in the intervening days, a man claiming to be a friend of the accused turned up at Store Street station and tried to convince officers that the accused used a specific name.

Judge Brennan heard that the garda also contacted the International Protection Office in Dublin about a public service card number the accused had when arrested.

As a result, he was furnished with images and details from a passport with another name, but he remained uncertain whether the accused was the man in the picture.

Judge Brennan remanded "Unknown Unknown", who did not address the court, in continuing custody to appear again at Cloverhill District Court next Thursday while gardaí and his solicitor continue to establish his real name.

His solicitor, Paul Byrne, told Judge Brennan he had been "stonewalled" when he tried to make inquiries at the IPAS centre about his client.

On Tuesday, the court heard that he claimed to have stayed in accommodation outside Dublin, in centres in Mullingar and Arklow.

Garda O'Toole had said that while held at Store Street station, the man was provided with an interpreter to assist him over the phone, but he still refused to give basic information.

The court heard that he kept changing his dates of birth, names and nationalities. The Garda National Immigration Bureau had no record of the details he provided.

The man, who has been granted legal aid, did not give evidence during the bail hearing on Tuesday or Thursday and has yet to enter a plea.

He had an interpreter earlier, but at his latest hearing, his solicitor described him as having "enough English to get by".

He has stated that his client, in the early stage of these proceedings, had been in a panic and that the problem had been a lack of confidence.

He had been here a year and had been unsuccessful in applying for asylum.

The court heard he had a public service card, and on his phone, there was a picture of a manual handling certificate, in a different name.