Family and babysitter endure savage raid ordeal

A YOUNG family and a teenage babysitter were subjected to a prolonged period of savage violence yesterday.

A father-of-one was tied up and severely beaten around the face and arms by masked men wielding firearms at his house in west Dublin.

His partner, their child, a child of a relative and a 15-year-old babysitter were all tied up and present during the beating that went on for some five hours.

The couple, named locally as Jason and Sinéad Murphy, both aged in their late 20s, were robbed of several thousand euro during the nightmare attack.

Gardaí yesterday described the incident, which occurred in a private housing estate in the Aylesbury area of Tallaght, as a particularly nasty assault.

"This was a very violent and traumatic incident. The man received a severe beating, but thankfully is not in any danger," said Detective Inspector Seamus Kane.

"No one else was injured. They were all restrained and tied up. The children were similarly restrained. We are treating it extremely seriously, and have a full team working on it."

Mr Murphy's injuries were being treated at Tallaght Hospital yesterday.

The nightmare began when the two raiders forced their way into the couple's house on Carrigmore Grove at around 11.30pm on Thursday.

They threatened the babysitter with firearms, before tying him up and restraining the two young children. The raiders, masked and wearing gloves, then waited until the couple came home.

When they arrived, sometime after 1.30am, they were jumped on and tied up. Over the next five hours they threatened and beat Mr Murphy about the face and arms. It's understood that his arm may have been broken in the assault.

At 7am the two men left with a quantity of money, believed to be several thousand euro. The drove off in a 01 Dublin-registered blue Toyota Hi-Ace van, belonging to the couple.

Neighbours in the quiet, middle-class area expressed shock at what happened. Most did not know the couple as the estate was only built in the last four years. The couple are understood to be involved in a number of cash businesses, and could have been targeted for this reason.

Det Insp Kane said: "Clearly, on the basis money was taken, robbery appears to be the motive."

Gardaí have asked people who saw anything to contact Tallaght Garda Station at 01-6666000. They believe the raiders may have arrived on a motorbike as one of them was wearing motorcycle gear.

Gardaí were yesterday examining a motorbike found near the scene. The getaway van has not yet turned up.

The assault follows the brutal murder of Joan Casey in nearby Avonbeg Park last Sunday. Det Insp Kane said they were reviewing evidence in that murder.