“You’ve got to give him some consideration for the situation he found himself in,” argued attorney Joseph Chiarelli, a lawyer representing Matthew Kennedy, 41, a 13-year veteran of the fire service, in court Monday.

That situation, Chiarelli told Judge Richard A. Damiani, was that Kennedy was riding in his fire apparatus Friday evening when he claims he saw his soon-to-be ex-wife, Alison Kennedy, “hand-in-hand” with her lawyer, Tony Wallace, “walking down the street on date night” in New Haven.

Damiani was unmoved. He increased Kennedy’s bail from $2,500 to $50,000, and told Chiarelli that if his client believed his wife and lawyer were having an inappropriate relationship then the “proper avenue” would be to file a grievance with statewide bar counsel and not set upon them on the street.

Kennedy, looking athletic in a light tan suit, was taken into custody by judicial marshals and held for several hours until he was freed on the higher bail.

Fire Chief Michael Grant said Monday that Kennedy remains on administrative leave, and he planned to confer with the city labor relations director and others to determine a course of action.

Contacted Monday, Wallace said there was no romantic relationship, no hand holding and the Friday evening meeting was for business. There was a court date Wednesday and their schedules were such that Friday evening was the only time they could meet.

“It’s not the first time I’ve taken a client to dinner,” said Wallace. “It might be the last.”

Wallace told police Friday he didn’t want to press charges and repeated that Monday. He said he faxed a letter to Grant indicating that he had no plans to sue the city and expressing his hope that Kennedy wouldn’t lose his job over the incident.

“He has a child to support,” Wallace said, adding, “I harbor no ill will to this man whatsoever. I just went through the same thing (a divorce) two years ago. It’s a powerful thing. He’s going through a lot and he lost it.”

Kennedy jumped out of a Fire Department emergency unit Friday just before 8 p.m. when he saw Wallace and his estranged wife at Temple and Crown streets. According to police and witnesses, Kennedy was so irate police had to separate him from Wallace. He was restrained by officers and other firefighters when he lunged toward Wallace again. His wife retreated into a restaurant when she saw Kennedy coming.

Dozens of people witnessed the incident at a busy corner in the heart of the city’s entertainment district.

Kennedy was loaded back into the emergency unit and relieved of duty after he got back to the firehouse.

He went to the hospital for stress-related issues and was arrested there for violating a restraining order his wife had against him.

On Monday, the State’s Attorney’s office added additional charges of violation of a protective order, breach of peace and threatening.

“The defendant doesn’t seem to be able to abide by the terms and conditions of the order,” Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Denison told Damiani. “He doesn’t appear to be able to control his anger.”

The restraining order forbids Kennedy from coming within 100 yards of his estranged wife.

Wallace remained philosophical about the incident. “After 17 years of doing this (legal work), I’m kind of surprised it’s the first time that someone has come after me.”