Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 7323Co. Dublin

Man remanded over obstructing drug search in Dublin city centre

A man was arrested in Dublin 1 on 18 August 2025 after a riot Garda chased him approximately 300 metres from Foley Street to Buckingham Street Lower and struck him with a baton before he was restrained. He was charged with obstructing a drug search at Store Street Garda Station and appeared before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court on 19 August, where he gave six different names, five dates of birth, and two countries of origin. The unnamed man, an unsuccessful asylum seeker claiming to be from Palestine and Jordan, was remanded in continuing custody after station bail was refused. On 21 August the court heard that seven possible identities had emerged for the accused, who had no identity documents. He was remanded again to appear at Cloverhill District Court the following Thursday.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested22 Aug
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court19 Aug
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A man was chased by a riot Garda approximately 300 metres from Foley Street to Buckingham Street Lower in Dublin 1 and struck with a baton before being restrained.
  • The man allegedly refused to submit to a drug search at Store Street, Dublin city centre.
Where
The arrest took place on Buckingham Street Lower, Dublin 1, and the man was charged at Store Street Garda Station.
When
The arrest took place just after 4pm on 18 August 2025.
Charges
The man was charged with obstructing a drug search at Store Street, Dublin city centre, on 18 August 2025.
In court
  • The man appeared before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court on 19 August 2025 and was remanded in continuing custody.
  • The case resumed on 21 August 2025, where the court heard that seven possible identities had emerged for the accused, and he was remanded to appear at Cloverhill District Court the following Thursday.
Other details
  • The man gave Gardaí six different names, five different dates of birth, two different countries of origin (Palestine and Jordan), and a number of different addresses including two IPAS centres.
  • The man had no identity documents, had a manual handling certificate in a further name, and a Public Services card made out to a similar name with a different spelling.
  • The man is an unsuccessful asylum seeker who had been in Ireland for a year and is described as a foreign national.
  • Station bail was refused because Gardaí were not satisfied with the man's identity.
Investigation
Gardaí ran all names and dates of birth through the PULSE system and found no matches, and the Garda National Immigration Bureau had no record of the details provided.
41 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe man gave Gardaí six different names, five different dates of birth, two different countries of origin, and a number of different addresses including two IPAS centres. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe man allegedly refused to submit to a drug search. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe man made no reply when charged. (gript.ie)
  • whatAn Arabic interpreter was contacted by officers at Store Street. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe accused refused to answer basic questions. (gript.ie)
  • whatWhen asked to write his name in Arabic, this revealed yet another name. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe man had a manual handling certificate in a further name. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe man had a Public Services card made out to a similar name with different spelling for the forename and a one-word surname instead of two. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe accused is charged with obstructing a drug search at Store Street, Dublin city centre, on 18 August 2025. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe man was arrested on Buckingham Street Lower, Dublin 1. (gript.ie)
  • whereThe man was charged at Store Street Garda Station. (gript.ie)
  • whereThe incident took place in north inner city Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe chase started in Foley Street, just behind Talbot Street in Dublin 1. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe pursuit ended on Buckingham Street. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe arrest took place just after 4pm on 18 August 2025. (gript.ie)
  • whenThe footage was uploaded onto social media on Friday morning. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí ran all names and dates of birth through the PULSE system and found no matches. (gript.ie)
  • investigationThe Garda National Immigration Bureau had no record of the details the accused provided. (rte.ie)
  • investigationThe garda contacted the International Protection Office about a public service card number the accused had when arrested. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe man was refused station bail because Gardaí were not satisfied with his identity. (gript.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe accused was remanded in continuing custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court the following Thursday. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe accused had not entered a plea. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe man claimed to be from Palestine. (gript.ie)
  • otherThe man claimed to be Jordanian during the court hearing. (gript.ie)
  • otherThe accused had no identity documents. (rte.ie)
  • otherSeven possible identities have emerged for the accused. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe accused is an unsuccessful asylum seeker claiming to be from Palestine and Jordan. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe investigating garda raised concerns over six different names and five dates of birth given by the accused. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe accused had been in Ireland for a year and was unsuccessful in applying for asylum. (rte.ie)
  • otherA man claiming to be a friend of the accused turned up at Store Street station. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe accused's solicitor said he had been stonewalled when making inquiries at the IPAS centre. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe accused had a picture of a manual handling certificate in a different name on his phone. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe chase was approximately 300 metres long. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe Garda was in riot gear with his baton out. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe suspect is believed to be a foreign national. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe suspect refused repeated commands to stop. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe Garda struck the suspect several times on the legs with his baton. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe suspect was restrained until officers arrived in a Garda car. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherIt is unclear when the incident took place. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA man on a bicycle filmed the chase. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 22 Aug2025
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, its first report
    WATCH: Suspect refuses to stop as Garda chases him through streets of Dublin

    Viral TikTok footage of a riot Garda chasing a suspect through central Dublin; the suspect was struck with a baton and restrained. The exact date of the incident is unknown.

    suspect, male, non-irish (judged from name)
  2. 21 Aug2025
    In courtrte.ie, its first report
    Seven possible identities for 'unknown' man, court told

    Details the identity confusion surrounding the accused, with seven possible names and five dates of birth, his remand in continuing custody, and the ongoing efforts by gardaí and his solicitor to establish his real name.

    accused, male, non-irish (judged from name)
  3. 19 Aug2025
    In courtgript.ie, first report
    Unidentified man “panicked” during Garda interaction - Gript

    First court appearance details: man gave six names, five DOBs, two countries of origin; claimed to be from Palestine then Jordan; had a manual handling certificate and Public Services card in further names; previously stayed at IPAS centres in Mullingar and Arklow; Judge Brennan noted the man had 'deceived' Gardaí and set the case back to next Thursday.

    suspect, male, non-irish (judged from name)