By Ronan Judge news@ctribune.ie

GARDAÍ investigating an alleged assault on a priest at the Army barracks in Galway have secured CCTV from 35 premises and a “large number” of court orders to access social media accounts, a court has heard.

Details of the investigation were outlined by Detective Sergeant Paul McNulty at Galway District Court on Monday.

Judge Mary Fahy had previously requested a progress update on the case against a 16-year-old boy accused of assault.

The teenager is charged with assault causing harm to Fr Paul Murphy, a Defence Forces chaplain, at Renmore Barracks on August 15.

The alleged offence is contrary to section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against The Person Act.

Det Sgt McNulty was asked by solicitor, Martina Moran, why there had been a delay in securing directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on how the case was to proceed.

The sergeant said this was a “serious investigation” that involved gathering CCTV footage from 35 premises to track the movements of the accused on the day of the alleged assault.

Det Sgt McNulty said Gardaí also had to obtain a “large number of court orders” in order to access different social media accounts.

He told the court that the Garda file was now with the DPP and directions were awaited.

Judge Fahy said the court was glad to know the file was now with the DPP.

She said the DPP was an entity independent of the courts and the State and its decision on how the case is to proceed was awaited. Judge Fahy said the court “had no doubt the State will be keeping the pressure on the DPP” to obtain directions.

The 16-year-old accused boy has been in Oberstown Detention Centre on remand, since being refused bail at his first court appearance in June.

Ms Moran told the court that on September 3, bail was also refused by the high court.

Judge Fahy remanded the boy in detention to appear again via video link on October 14.

Pictured: Fr Paul Murphy, Chaplain, Renmore Barracks, victim of the alleged assault.