Bail refused to men accused of threatening elderly woman with baseball bat in her home

Three men in their 20s, accused of threatening an 87-year-old woman in her home on St Valentine's Night with a baseball bat, have appeared before Virginia District Court this morning.

They were all refused bail and remanded in custody to Castlerea Prison to appear before Cavan District Court next Thursday, February 28.

Judge Gerard Jones described as “dreadful” the alleged offences against Mateusz Krolicki (23) of 21 Castleford, Ballyconnell; Patrick Delaney (22) of 41 College Street, Cavan and David Tobin with an address at 15 Cluain Aoibhinn, Swellan, Cavan.

They are all accused of criminal damage at Carrickane, Cavan, on February 14 last.

They were also charged with criminal damage to her property and using or threatening to use unlawful violence and placing her in fear of her safety.

Mr Delaney and Mr Krolicki are both charged with assaulting a neighbour of the woman and Mr Krolicki is further charged with a second assault charge against another neighbour.

Mr Krolicki is also charged with having an article in his possession, capable of inflicting serious injury – namely a stick (baseball bat).

Evidence was given by Detective Cora Earley who objected to bail for the defendants.

Judge Gerard Jones described the allegations as “dreadful” and a “shocking crime”, which he said he could not see being adjudicated on at District Court level.

Defence solicitor Padraig Murray (Damien Rudden & Co) applied for bail for all men, which was refused by Judge Jones.

They were remanded in custody to Castlerea Prison to appear again at Cavan District Court next Thursday, February 22.

* For a detailed court report, see Wednesday's issue of The Anglo-Celt