Elderly living in fear

Gardaí are weeks away from approving measures to combat rural crime despite growing fears over a renewed spate of attacks on elderly people.

In the latest incident, a woman in her 80s and her deaf husband were assaulted and robbed at knife-point by a gang who broke into their home in Churchtown, Co Westmeath.

It was the third violent attack in recent days, following on the murder of the Blaine brothers, Tom, 76, and 69-year-old Jack, at their home in Castlebar, Co Mayo, and the vicious assault on the Arnold sisters, Isa, 91, and Suzy, 89, at their Raphoe, Co Donegal, home.