Man allegedly slashed former friend and later punched him while out with children at Halloween

A west Clare man allegedly slashed a former “very close friend” across the face with a Stanley knife and then allegedly assaulted him four days later when the man was out trick or treating with his children at Halloween.It was alleged that Martin O’Callaghan (38) slashed Thomas De Loughrey at Beechpark, John Paul Estate, Kilrush, from his right ear to the corner of his mouth, on October 27th.Garda Brion Dolan told Ennis District Court the wound was 10cm long and 1cm deep, but de Loughrey initially refused medical assistance before going to University Hospital Limerick two days later.In relation to a second assault-causing-harm charge against O’Callaghan, Dolan said de Loughlrey was out “trick or treating” with his children near his home on October 31st last when he met O’Callaghan.READ MOREThe garda said de Loughrey was wearing a snood to hide the wound, and an argument began between the two where O’Callaghan is alleged to have punched de Loughrey in the face, which he said reopened the wound.Dolan said de Loughrey provided a statement of complaint to gardaí. He said that until recently, de Loughrey and O’Callaghan had been “very close friends”.Solicitor Tara Godfrey told Judge Adrian Harris she was seeking bail for her client.Objecting to bail for the accused, Dolan handed photographs into court of the slash injury to de Loughrey’s face.Dolan said a Garda search of O’Callaghan’s property had recovered a Stanley knife held together with duct tape.Dolan said it will also be alleged that on October 29th, O’Callaghan went to de Loughrey’s home to apologise for assaulting him. He said the two men live less than 100m apart in Kilrush. Dolan said O’Callaghan has a very serious drug addiction, and on Halloween was very intoxicated.He expressed concern that if O’Callaghan secures bail, he will attempt to interfere with de Loughrey and try to coerce him to withdraw the charges.The judge refused bail, and Godfrey asked that O’Callaghan be placed on a drug-free landing in prison.O’Callaghan was remanded in custody to Ennis District Court to November 18th.