A 35-year-old man has been refused bail after being accused of repeatedly punching and “choking” his 69-year-old mother with his two hands as she lay in bed.
Peter Dunne, from Scholarstown Wood in Rathfarnham in Dublin, was charged with assault causing harm to his mother at the family home last night.
The accused faced objections to bail when he appeared before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court this morning.
Garda Daniel Maloney said he and his colleagues responded to a 999 call at around 10.40pm and went to the home of Mr Dunne’s elderly parents.
They reported that the accused allegedly attacked his mother as she was in bed
He was arrested at the scene.
The court heard he “made no reply” when charged at Tallaght Garda station.
Defence solicitor Eddie O’Connor said that Mr Dunne had no prior convictions or warrants record and proposed that his client would live at a different location and undertake to stay away from his parents.
In evidence, the accused told Judge Finan he could stay in a hostel or a hotel, but when questioned, he agreed he had not made any plans. He told the court he would not return to the house and said that he was going to visit his GP, who is treating him for anxiety.
Mr Connor asked Judge Finan to fix bail with stringent conditions. However, she denied the application and remanded Mr Dunne in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Legal aid was granted to Mr Dunne, who has yet to enter a plea; he will appear again in court next week.
The judge also directed that he get psychiatric attention in custody.
