Siblings yet to plead over murder of pensioner

A brother and sister made no reply when they were charged with the murder of 63-year-old Thomas Horan, who was found dead in his sheltered accommodation in Dublin on Monday.

The body of Mr Horan, who was believed to have originally come from Mullingar, Co Westmeath, was found at Cambridge Court, a housing complex in Irishtown, where he had been living for four years.

He was found in the bedroom of his ground-floor apartment at about 4am on Monday.

A doctor pronounced him dead at the scene. An autopsy revealed he died from internal injuries, and a murder investigation was launched.

Yesterday, Kenneth, aged 27, and Sabrina Cummins, aged 36, both with addresses at Ringsend Park in Dublin, appeared in court charged with murdering the 63-year-old.

The district court cannot grant bail in a murder case, and the pair, who have not yet indicated how they will plead, were remanded in custody to appear again next Thursday. Any bail application will have to be brought to the High Court.

Dressed in a light-grey, hooded jacket and tracksuit bottoms, black T-shirt and shoes, Mr Cummins sat silently with his legs crossed during his short hearing.

Det Garda Bryan Hunt told Judge Michael Walsh that the 27-year-old had been arrested on Wednesday at the Old Cabra Road and was charged on Thursday.

The court heard he is unemployed and defence solicitor Michael Hennessy had two applications.

The first was for legal aid for his client, which the judge granted. The second was for the court to direct the prison authorities to give him necessary medical attention in custody, which the judge ordered.

His sister, who was wearing a dark grey hoodie, black top and black skirt, was then brought in. Det Gda David Wogan said she was also arrested on Wednesday in the Cabra Cross area on Dublin’s northside.

She remained seated with her hands on her lap and did not speak during the hearing in which Judge Walsh heard that she made no reply when she was charged.

Her solicitor Michael French asked that she receive “immediate medical attention” in custody and for free legal aid. He said he and a colleague had been in regular contact with her and “the seriousness of the situation is not lost on her”.

Judge Walsh agreed to direct that she would also get medical attention during her remand in prison and he also granted her legal aid.