Dublin man accused of repeatedly ‘beating and choking’ his mother denied bail

Peter Dunne, of The Avenue, Scholarstown Wood, Rathfarnham, was charged with assaulting and harming his mother, 69, at the family home on Friday night.

The defendant, who said he suffered from anxiety, faced bail objections when he appeared before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court on Saturday.

Garda Daniel Maloney said he and his colleagues responded to a 999 call at around 10.40pm and went to the home of Mr Dunne’s elderly parents.

The court heard they met their father, 72, who was “agitated, shaking and scared”. The pensioner’s 69-year-old wife had an eye injury, was bleeding and was “shivering.”

They reported that the defendant had attacked his mother when she was in bed and “started strangling her with both hands” and punched her in the face.

Garda Maloney said it is alleged the accused “said he was going to kill her while carrying out the attack”.

It was claimed his father was punched four or five times while trying to save his wife, and the court heard the pensioner believed “if he had not intervened, his son would have killed his wife”.

Judge Finan was told Gardai arrived and the defendant was caught red-handed in the house but became aggressive and it took five officers to arrest him.

The accused “did not respond” when charged at Tallaght Garda Station.

Garda Maloney added that he had been informed that the accused had mental health problems, which the parents believed had progressively worsened.

The investigator expressed concern about interference from witnesses, adding that the accused had good physical stature compared to his elderly parents.

He agreed with defense lawyer Eddie O’Connor that Mr Dunne had no previous convictions or criminal record.

Mr O’Connor proposed that his client live in a different location and undertake to stay away from his parents, but Garda Maloney stressed that no conditions would alleviate his concerns.

In evidence, the defendant told Judge Finan he could stay in a hostel or hotel, but when questioned he accepted he had made no plans. He told the court he would not be returning home and said he was going to visit his GP, who is treating him for anxiety.

Connor asked Judge Finan to set bail with strict conditions. However, he denied the request and placed the accused in custody pending instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Free legal aid was granted to Mr Dunne, who has not yet pleaded guilty; He will appear in court again next week. The judge also ordered that he receive psychiatric care in custody.