Arrest warrant issued for Moroccan man who arrived under name 'unknown unknown'

Tom Tuite

A judge has ordered the arrest of a Moroccan man charged last month shortly after he arrived in Dún Laoghaire with no passport and a passage through three western European countries.

The 50-year-old, who had no identity documents, was brought to Dublin District Court under the name Unknown Unknown with a specific date of birth, on August 8th last.

He eventually revealed that his name was Elane Charkaoui, which gardaí could not confirm, and he was admitted to bail.

However, he failed to show up for his case when it resumed before Judge Conor Fottrell at Dún Laoghaire District Court on Tuesday.

Judge Fottrell noted the court sergeant learned from the prosecuting garda that the accused had not complied with bail conditions imposed last month.

The judge issued a bench warrant for the man's arrest.

At his initial hearing last month, Garda Natasha McAleese gave evidence of arrest, charge, and caution and had objected to bail, emphasising that there was no proof of the accused's identity.

He had arrived on August 7th, a day ahead of his court appearance.

Judge Peter White had heard that the man claimed he had "landed in Ireland yesterday on a boat from London", having previously been in France and Spain after leaving Morocco.

The garda had stressed that the man had no fixed address and no family or ties in the jurisdiction.

The court heard the man made no reply when charged under Section 12 of the Immigration Act for failing to produce a valid passport or a valid document to prove his identity at Tesco, Bloomfield Shopping Centre, in Dún Laoghaire, on Friday.

It was alleged that on the same date he stole €40 worth of beer at that location.

The man, who has yet to enter a plea, listened to the proceedings with the aid of an Arabic interpreter, giving a name so that the charges could be amended.

He had no lawyer to represent him due to a dispute, which has triggered industrial action by solicitors who have withdrawn their services over legal aid reforms.

The garda pointed out that "there is no way of verifying his name".

Judge White had noted the objections but said there was no evidence of bench warrants for failing to appear in court. He held that there were not sufficient grounds to deny bail, which was set at €200 and cashless.

He had added that this was subject to conditions. The man was told to provide a mobile phone number to gardaí and sign on twice a week at a nominated garda station.