Georgian man to face court over attack on family home

A HOSPITAL patient accused of smashing his way into a home in Limerick and terrorising six children is due in court on Thursday.

The man, aged 27, is from the former Soviet republic of Georgia, it emerged yesterday.

Gardaí arrested him at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital after the incident last Saturday.

The man has been charged with criminal damage and trespass.

Five men had to restrain the man after he smashed down a patio door at the home of Michael and Angela Vaughan, at Gouldavoher Estate, a short distance from the hospital.

A spokesman for the hospital said yesterday that a patient was admitted by ambulance to the Accident and Emergency department at 5.45pm on Saturday.

After being seen by a nurse, he left the hospital of his own free will before being seen by a doctor.

The spokesman said that the same man was brought by ambulance under garda escort to the A&E department at 7.20pm and was discharged at 8pm into garda custody.

A garda spokesman at Roxboro Road garda station said a non-national with an address at Westbourne Lodge, Dock Road, Limerick was arrested and questioned about an incident at a house in Gouldavoher.

He said the arrested man is due at Limerick District Court on Thursday on charges of criminal damage and trespass.

He was released on bail.

Michael Vaughan was collecting his wife, Angela, from work on Saturday when their son Shane, aged 16, rang on a mobile phone saying a man had entered the back garden and was wrecking garden furniture.

As the Vaughans rushed home, the intruder smashed his way into the house by throwing a cement block through the glass patio door.

A neighbour, retired garda Sean Brennan, heard the children’s screams and rushed to the house.

He confronted the intruder and, assisted by Michael Vaughan and three ambulance personnel who were called to the scene, overpowered the man.

It is believed the arrested man originally was originally brought to hospital to have a colostomy wound attended to.