Sunville House in County Limerick
A LIMERICK mother, who was recovering from breast cancer surgery, was having a bath when a gang of armed raiders burst in to her home.
Ann Garvey, of Sunville House, Pallasgreen told Judge John Hannan at Limerick Circuit Court last week that the men, who were armed with a sawn-off shotgun, a baseball bat and a sledgehammer, said her daughter would be shot if she didn’t give them the key to the safe.
Ms Garvey was giving her evidence in the trial of Patrick Roche, (52), of Kilcronan Close, Clondalkin, Dublin; his son Philip Roche (24) of the same address and Alan Freeman (37) of Pearse Park, Tipperary Town who all pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated burglary at the Garvey home on April 16, 2012.
Both Patrick and Philip Roche have also pleaded not guilty to an aggravated burglary at the home of William, Nora and Christina Creed at Ballyluddy, Pallasgreen, on May 31, 2012.
Ms Garvey told the court that she had undergone a mastectomy and was taking a bath when the men broke in to her home. The mother-of-four said that her husband, Gerard was handcuffed in the sitting room and had a sawn-off shotgun pressed to his forehead.
One of their daughters was bound with cable ties and her twin brother was punched in the face and threatened with a baseball bat.
Gerard Garvey said that when he went to investigate a loud bang in the living room, he was confronted by a gang who had smashed the patio door. He said there were three or four figures dressed in black and wearing balaclavas.
He was looking down the barrel of a sawn-off shotgun as they forced him and his daughter to the ground.
The man with the gun said: “we’ll blow your head off and we will take your kids away and you’ll never see them again”.
They demanded the key of the safe which contained $3,000 and £5,000 but they wanted more.
Sgt Helen Holden told Judge Hannan that when she arrived to Sunville House, she found a scene of “panic, pandemonium, and trauma”.
Det Garda Niamh Brosnan, who was accompanied by Det Garda Senan O’Sullivan said that the family were extremely upset and shocked at what had happened and that Gerry Garvey was still in handcuffs and had to be freed with bolt cutters.
The trial is expected to last another four weeks.
