Man due in court in relation with pensioner's death

A 22-year-old man is to appear in court tomorrow in relation to the killing of a Dublin pensioner.

Vincent Plunkett, 80, was found with his throat slit in a sheltered housing unit in south inner city on August 14.

The body of the convicted stalker had been discovered by a home help who called to the ground floor apartment at Robinson’s Court, Cork Street.

A post mortem examination showed the pensioner suffered a violent death, with stab injuries to his head and throat.

Mr Plunkett, a retired traffic warden from Athlone, Co Westmeath, was given a three-month suspended sentence and fined eight years ago for terrorising a young married couple.

Brian and Michelle Mullen alleged the then 72-year-old put dog faeces through their door, sent 30 abusive letters to their home and wrongly accused Mr Mullen of being a homosexual, drug dealer and garda informer.

Three months after the court case the 24-year-old father of a four-year-old girl hanged himself.

The man, who was arrested early this morning, will appear before Dublin District Court. He is being detained at Kevin Street Garda Station.