A 47-year-old man who appeared in court in Northern Ireland following the alleged abduction of a child is currently in breach of a deportation order, it has emerged.
Giedrius Gasiunas with an address in Ballinode, Co Monaghan, is charged with attempting to abduct the child on 22 April this year.
A detective constable told Enniskillen Magistrates Court the charges could be connected.
She explained on the day of the incident police were made aware of an attempt to take the child from the Kinawley area in Co Fermanagh.
The child had been approached by two males in a car which was noted to have bedding in the rear.
The driver exited the vehicle and tried to grab the child by the shoulder.
He "became aggressive" with the child when the child refused to accompany them and broke free.
It was only when a school bus approached that the suspect returned to his car and drove off.
The child was able to provide a description of the car and a partial registration.
Shortly after that, garda enquiries were conducted in Swanlinbar in Co Cavan where the driver was located and identified as Mr Gasiunas.
The passenger was also identified but has not been traced and remains wanted by the PSNI.
Although the vehicle had been detected, police had no jurisdiction to cross the border to affect an arrest.
On 15 June police were conducting a patrol in the Lough Shore Road area of Enniskillen when they spotted the vehicle.
When asked, Mr Gasiunas gave a false name and police asked to see identification which showed his correct name.
"Police believe at that stage he was trying to evade detection and arrest for the abduction attempt in April," said the detective.
When asked where he was on that date Mr Gasiunas claimed to have gone fishing with his friend in Killybegs, Co Donegal, and on return decided to buy alcohol, travelling over the border to do so.
On the way they spotted the child and offered him a lift which he declined, and Mr Gasiunas recalled "in his younger days he often needed a lift hence his offer to the child".
Objecting to bail the detective said: "There are risks around reoffending and breaching court orders. The defendant was arrested in September 2023 [for] breaching a deportation order.
"We have spoken to the Home Office in regard to his status and deportation papers have been served on him while in custody. He gave a false name and police fear that was an attempt to avoid detection."
A defence barrister accepted the defendant's departure from the country "is imminent but this case will have to run its course".
He suggested bail could be granted on very strict terms which Mr Gasiunas was willing to abide by.
However, District Judge Lanan McSorley refused due a risk of absconding
Mr Gasiunas was remanded in custody to appear again by video-link on 8 July.
