A Kerry court heard that gardaí would not bring an accused person into the court on health and safety grounds.
The incident, which happened at a sitting in the county yesterday, related to a person who’d returned from the UK in recent days.
People returning to Ireland from the UK are required to self-isolate for 14 days, due to the presence of a new, more contagious, strain of COVID-19 being prevalent there.
The person, who was due to appear in court yesterday, was facing charges relating to alleged road traffic offences.
The court heard that the accused was stopped by gardaí; upon further investigation, it was found a bench warrant had been issued in November for the person.
The court also heard it appears that the person had travelled back to Kerry from England via Northern Ireland in recent days.
Despite a travel ban being in place between the Republic and the UK, travel between the North and South remains unaffected.
Gardaí transporting the person to court were wearing extensive personal protective equipment and, despite it being usual practice for the accused to appear before the court, they refused to personally escort the accused into the court on health and safety grounds.
Solicitor Pat Mann, who represented the accused, signed the bail bond on behalf of the person, with permission from the judge and prosecuting garda.
Mr Mann says it’s believed this is among the first times in Kerry courts where a representative had to sign a bail bond on behalf of a client.
The accused is now due to undergo the advised 14-day isolation period.
