AN APPRENTICE ELECTRICIAN showed no remorse after speeding through a checkpoint, endangering a garda and driving along busy Luas tracks in Dublin on Wednesday night, a court heard.

Jordan Duffy, 28, of Marigold Crescent, Darndale, allegedly crashed and fled to a hiding place but was located by gardaí using heat-seeking technology.

He faced a bail hearing before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court today.

He is accused of three counts of dangerous driving and one for endangerment of a garda’s life in connection with the incident, which commenced at around 11pm on Wednesday.

Garda Fionnbar Thompson said the accused was later arrested on Drogheda and made no reply when charged.

Objecting to bail, he cited the seriousness of the charges and alleged that Duffy initially stopped at a garda checkpoint at Ormond Quay.

An officer at the scene formed the opinion Duffy was under the influence of an intoxicant and asked him to turn the engine off, but “at this point, the accused took off at speed causing tyres to audibly screech”.

The court heard this caused a garda to fall back onto a footpath.

It was claimed Duffy drove the 2015-reg case along the north quays in Dublin 1, swerving and undertaking.

The contested bail hearing was told he turned and drove onto the Luas lines, and “this manner of driving caused members of the public and traffic to take evasive action along the route”.

The garda maintained that the evidence was strong, and the accused was identified as the driver by high-quality body-worn cameras and CCTV throughout the city.

The court heard the car crashed and was written off an hour from the scene after colliding with a roundabout in Drogheda. An ambulance crew assisted him, but he allegedly absconded when gardaí arrived.

However, the bail hearing was told that Duffy was located by gardaí using heat-seeking technology and found him in a hiding place nearby. He has yet to indicate a plea.

Garda Thompson said he interviewed the man twice at Drogheda garda station and made no admissions to the allegations. He added that there was a possibility of witness interference because he knew the names of the garda’s witnesses.

Garda Thompson said that during his interview, the accused outlined that he had an indifference to gardai and ill feelings toward recent tragedies in the organisation, including the death of a road policing member.

He added that the man showed no remorse.

Defence solicitor Michael French took exception to some of the grounds to oppose his client’s bail and stressed that Duffy had made no admissions and was entitled to exercise his right to silence, his constitutional right.

Questioned by French, the garda conceded that no threats were made.

The solicitor contended the officer was “padding out” his bail objection by suggesting Duffy would intimidate members of An Garda Siochana.

French said that his client would abide by conditions.

Judge Finan noted that no one suffered injuries requiring medical attention.

She set his bail at €200 and required a €15,000 independent surety to be approved before he could be released with several conditions.

He will appear again next week, and once bail has been taken up, he must obey a curfew, not drive any motor vehicle, sign on daily at a garda station, and have no contact with witnesses.

Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions have to be sought on whether the case would stay in the District Court or go to the Circuit Court, which has greater sentencing powers.

Legal aid was granted.