A date for the trial has been established for a 44-year-old man, Giedrius Gasiunas, accused of a “sinister” attempted child kidnapping.
Giedrius Gasiunas, residing in Ballinode, Monaghan, is accused of attempting to abduct a kid on April 22 of this year.
A detective earlier informed Enniskillen Magistrates Court that a tip was received regarding an attempted abduction of a youngster in the Kinawley area.
Two males in a vehicle, which included beds in the rear, had approached him. The driver disembarked and attempted to abduct the child, exhibiting aggression when the child declined to comply and escaped.
Giedrius Gasiunas only returned to his vehicle and departed when a school bus neared.
The child described the car and supplied a partial registration. Information was conveyed to An Garda Síochána, resulting in the location of Giedrius Gasiunas in Swanlinbar. The passenger has been recognised but has not been located and is still sought by the PSNI.
Although the vehicle had been detected, police had no jurisdiction to cross the border to affect an arrest at the time and Giedrius Gasiunas was not detained.
On June 15 police conducting a patrol in Enniskillen became aware of the same vehicle pulling into a driveway. It was being driven by a female and Giedrius Gasiunas was in the passenger seat. Both claimed they pulled into the driveway to go to the toilet.
When asked, Giedrius Gasiunas gave a false name and police asked to see identification, which showed his correct name.
“Police believe at that stage he was trying to evade detection and arrest for the abduction attempt in April,” said the detective.
When asked where he was on that date Giedrius Gasiunas claimed he was fishing with his friend in Killybegs and on return decided to buy alcohol, travelling over the border to do so.
They spotted the child and offered him a lift which he declined, with Giedrius Gasiunas recalling, “In his younger days he often needed a lift hence his offer to the child.” [Editor’s note – define “lift”]
He confirmed being the driver at the time and told police, “It was just as well the boy refused 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 or grabbing him insisting he, “Did nothing bad to the boy.”
Objecting to bail the detective said, “There are risks around reoffending and breaching court orders. The defendant was arrested in September 2023 for breaching a Deportation Order. The Home Office served deportation papers on him while in custody. He gave a false name which we believe was to avoid detection and is aware he will be deported when this case concludes. He has a criminal record in a number of jurisdictions and continues to breach his Deportation Order having previously been removed from the UK.
Bail was refused but later granted after it was established Giedrius Gasiunas has served the maximum sentence on remand should he be convicted. At the most recent court sitting a defence barrister advised the charges are “strenuously denied”. District Judge Alana McSorley remanded Giedrius Gasiunas on continuing bail to attend for a contested hearing on January 7.
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