Trio accused of terrorising woman (86) remained in custody

Three men, accused of terrorising an 86-year-old woman in her home on Valentine's night near Cavan Town, one of them with a baseball bat, and smashing her windows, will remain in custody until March 3. They appeared before Judge Denis McLoughlin at Cavan District Court today charged in connection with the incident and were refused bail.

 

David Tobin (24) from 15 Cluain Aoibhinn, Swellan, Cavan; Patrick Delaney (19) from 41 College St, Cavan and Mateusz Krolicki (23) from
21 Castleford, Ballyconnell, are each charged with violent disorder, criminal damage and trespass at Carrickane Cavan.

 

Mr Delaney faces a further charge of assaulting a male neighbour who came to the elderly woman’s aid.

Mr Krolicki's answers additional charges of violent disorder, producing an article (baseball bat) capable of inflicting serious injury in the course of a dispute and assaulting a male and a female neighbour who tried to help the woman.

 

Early in the day's proceedings, Judge McLoughlin took the unusual step of asked Inspectors Niall McKiernan to remove all the defendants in custody from the body of the court until the charges against them were to be heard.

 

The judge made the request as one of the men had been causing a disruption by talking while other matters were being dealt with.

The defendants had first appeared before Virginia District Court last Friday following their arrests in connection with the incident.

At that sitting Judge Gerry Jones heard allegations that the men smashed the pensioner’s garden ornaments, plant pots, kitchen and sitting room windows and back door as they went on a rampage of destruction at her home the previous Wednesday night, February 14. He had described the alleged crimes as "shocking" and "dreadful".

Inspector McKiernan indicated that the State was objecting to any application by the defendants to bail.

Solicitor Damien Rudden represented Mr Delaney saying he would reserve his position on the application. 

Brid Mimnagh, who acted for Mr Tobin and Mr Krolicki, indicated that Mr Tobin was also reserving his position, but proceeded with the other defendant's application.

Outlining the reasons for the State's objections to Mr Krolicki's bail, Gda Cora Early said that the allegations related to a serious offence; that the injured party was in terror and alleged that there were threats made by Mr Krolicki against a witness while in custody.

The Garda told Judge McLoughlin that the defendant had 15 previous convictions and had been the subject of a bench warrant.

In concluding the matter, the judge said, although the presumption of innocence rests with Mr Krolicki, he was obliged to deny the application: "On the basis of the evidence presented by the State I have to remand the defendant in custody to appear before Harristown District Court on March 3," he concluded.