A Connemara man has been released on bail after being charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm to the Taoiseach and his family.

Patrick Grealish (48), with an address at 16 Garraí an Choirce, Lettermullen, was before a special sitting of Galway District Court on Monday where he was charged with making a threat to kill or cause harm to Simon Harris and his family on August 4, contrary to Section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act, 1997.

The court heard that the offence carries a maximum sentence, if convicted on indictment, of ten years imprisonment.

Granting bail to Mr Grealish on his own bond of €500, Judge Gerard Furlong said this was “in no way detracting from the seriousness” of the crime alleged to have been committed.

Detective Sergeant Eamonn O’Neill told the court Mr Grealish was arrested on Sunday last, August 11, at his home in Lettermullen and was charged at the Garda Regional Headquarters in Murrough just after 10pm.

When cautioned and invited to respond to the charge, Mr Grealish said: “no thanks.”

Det Sgt O’Neill, who objected to bail on behalf of the State, said the threats related to a member of the government and gardaí were “taking this very seriously”.

“He was essentially caught red-handed. The device used to post the offending messages was found and accepted to be his device,” said the Detective Sergeant.

On cross examination by defending solicitor, Michael Cunningham, Det Sgt O’Neill agreed that Mr Grealish had been cooperative since his arrest and had not been charged with any similar offences in the past.

It was accepted that the defendant, who lives at home with his mother who has dementia, acts as her carer and has health issues of his own.

In granting bail, Judge Furlong imposed a number of conditions and warned Mr Grealish he would be “jeopardising his liberty” if he were to breach any of them.

He said he understood the State’s objection to bail but “my hands are tied” and said that Mr Grealish was entitled to a presumption of innocence.

Among the conditions attached to bail was that the defendant must not access the internet or any social media account, and can have no contact with Simon Harris, Mr Harris’s family or any non-garda witnesses, directly or indirectly.

Mr Grealish had to surrender his passport and commit to residing at his residence in Lettermullen, with a curfew imposed between the hours of 11pm and 7am.

The defendant, whose phone has been seized, was also required to get a new phone number within 24 hours of the hearing and provide it to gardaí, by whom he must be contactable at all times.

Speaking during the 15-minute court sitting, Mr Grealish, who was dressed in a navy hoodie and blue jeans, committed to staying off social media and said he had only one account on Instagram which was no longer active.

“I will be staying off it, I promise,” he said.

In response to the Judge asking him if he would stay away from Mr Harris and have no contact with him, Mr Grealish said: “Absolutely, I promise.”

Legal aid was granted to the defendant, who the court heard was on social welfare.

Judge Furlong adjourned the case, remanding Mr Grealish on bail to appear before Derrynea District Court on September 17.

Pictured: Patrick Grealish at Galway District Court.