Anton Mulder (65), with an address at the Gala Apartments, Tinahely, County Wicklow, and formerly of Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, appeared at a sitting of Bray District Court charged with two counts of criminal damage.
The court was told that the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Criminal Court of Justice in 2008 after being found guilty of murdering his wife, Colleen Suzanne Mulder, at their home in Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, just before Christmas in 2004.
Part of Mulder’s conditions of his release from prison on licence is that he keeps the peace, and that committing any type of offence during his temporary release constitutes a breach of his licence.
The probation service and the Department of Justice are liaising to determine what action will be taken, the court heard. Sergeant Mick Canavan told the court that Mulder was released from Shelton Abbey Prison in March 2020.
Garda Seamus Gray of Shillelagh Garda Station said that, allegedly, in December 2025 and on January 24, 2026, the defendant punctured the tyres of his former partner’s vehicle.
Gda Gray alleged that both incidents were captured on CCTV footage. The court heard that when charged under caution, Mulder replied: “I’m not guilty.”
The accused has served 15 years of his life sentence.
Gda Gray told Bray District Court that the prosecution believes that if Mulder is not remanded in custody, he poses a high risk of evading justice.
Sgt Canavan said he believes the new charges overlap with Mulder’s prior conviction, describing both matters as “domestic in nature”.
The victim of the alleged criminal damage, a South African national, told the court that she had been in a relationship with Mulder for six years and had lived with him in Ireland for the past four years.
The court heard that Mulder is not a drug user and is not permitted to hold a passport, which remains “in the hands of the State”.
In evidence, the woman told the court that she is afraid of Mulder and said that, having now made a complaint against him, she fears him even more.
Counsel for the defendant, Ciara O’Brien BL, submitted that the damage to the vehicle was minimal and said Mulder’s daughter was available to act as an independent surety. The defence applied for bail.
Judge David Kennedy agreed with Ms O’Brien’s legal submission but said it was “not the point”, remarking that Mulder is a convicted murderer who now has “a slight against the victim”, before remanding him in custody.
Mulder is due to appear before Bray District Court on January 27 for mention.
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