A 44-year-old Monaghan resident has appeared in court today following the alleged abduction of a child.
It also emerged that the man was also currently in breach of a Deportation Order. Giedrius Gasiunas with an address in Ballinode, County Monaghan is charged with attempting to abduct the child on 22 April this year.
A detective constable told Enniskillen Magistrates Court the charges could be connected. She explained on the day of the incident police were made aware of an attempt to take the child from the Kinawley area.
He had been approached by two men in a car, which was noted to have bedding in the rear. The driver exited the vehicle and tried to grab the child by the shoulder. He "became aggressive" with the child when he refused to accompany them and broke free. It was only when a school bus approached that the suspect returned to his car and drove off.
The child was able to provide a description of the car and a partial registration. Shortly after that An Garda Siochana were also provided with information and enquires were conducted in Swanlinbar where the driver was located and identified as Mr Gasiunas. The passenger was also identified but has not be traced and remains wanted by PSNI. Although the vehicle had been detected police had no jurisdiction to cross the border to affect an arrest.
On the 15th of June police conducting a patrol in the Lough Shore Road area of Enniskillen became aware of the vehicle which at this point pulled into a driveway. It was being driven by a female and Gasiunas was in the passenger seat and both claimed they pulled into the driveway to go to the toilet. When asked where he was on that date Gasiunas claimed to have gone fishing with his friend in Killybegs and on return decided to buy alcohol, travelling over the border to do so. On the way they spotted the child and offered him a lift which he declined, and Gasiunas recalled, "In his younger days he often needed a lift hence his offer to the child."
Gasiunas claimed to police, "It was just as well the boy refused a lift as the car was full of things for the fishing trip including rods, clothing, bedding and food." He denied attempting to abduct the child, being aggressive and grabbing him by the shoulder insisting he "Did nothing bad to the boy." Objecting to bail the detective said, "This has caused great concern to the child victim and his family, especially when he has to get the bus for school. There are risks around reoffending and breaching court orders.
District Judge Lanan McSorley refused bail due a risk of absconding. Gasiunas was remanded in custody to appear again by video-link on 8 July.
