ONE of two men arrested just hours after an armed raid on a house in County Limerick has been charged at Limerick District Court with aggravated burglary and false imprisonment. 40-year-old Christopher Stokes with an address at St Anthony’s Park, Knocknaheeny, Cork appeared before Judge Eamon O’Brien and was charged with aggravated burglary and six counts of false imprisonment. Ted McCarthy. solicitor was appointed as free legal aid for the unemployed father of three but after a garda objection, the accused was denied bail and remanded in custody for seven days to appear again on May 1.
Directions from the DPP were received this Tuesday for the Gardai to charge the accused, following his arrest in North Cork just hours after the alleged incident.
A second man, detained for one week by An Garda Siochana in connection with the incident, has since been released from custody but a file is being prepared for the DPP.
The charges relate to an incident where it is alleged that Stokes was part of a four man gang that raided a home in county Limerick on Monday April 16. Gardai were alerted to the incident after the alleged raiders fled the scene.
Two men were later arrested in Cork as part of the initial and ongoing investigation. However one man in his forties has since been released.
Gerry Garvey, his wife Anne and their four teenage children were all present in the house during the raid and it It was alleged that the gang of four, in which Christopher Stokes is alleged to have been a member, were armed with a baseball bat, a sledgehammer and a sawn off shotgun and that threats had been made to Mr Garvey during the incident.
Two of the residents were allegedly tied up during the incident.
Detective Garda Tony Grey from Bruff garda station gave evidence of charging the accused with the offences.
All four men were said to have been wearing balaclavas and that a sum of up to €5,000 was taken during the raid.
The matter is back in court on May 1 next.
