Man remanded in relation to pensioner's murder

A 22-year-old man from Dublin today appeared in court charged with the murder of pensioner Vincent Plunkett.

Gerard Cullen Brady, originally of Clondalkin but with no fixed abode, replied: “Not guilty” when charged last night.

Detective Inspector Gabriel O’Gara told Dublin District Court the accused was arrested at a hostel in Parkgate Street in the north inner city at 7.20am yesterday.

The unemployed man was taken to Kevin Street garda station and questioned for almost 12 hours before he was charged at 6.57pm yesterday.

Detective Inspector O'Gara said the 80-year-old convicted stalker was murdered in his sheltered accommodation at Robinsons Court in Cork Street at a time yet unknown between August 13 and 14.

During the brief hearing a solicitor for Brady requested that he be escorted by gardaí to Cloverhill prison.

Judge McCarthy said he had no jurisdiction to order such protection.

Detective Inspector O'Gara said officers would escort the defendant out of the courthouse but he was the responsibility of the Prison Service after that.

The accused was remanded in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court on September 1.

Mr Plunkett was discovered in a ground floor apartment with extensive stab wounds to his body and throat.

The retired traffic warden originally form Athlone had been convicted of stalking the parents of a young child in 1998.