Limerick pensioners tied up and locked in bedroom of rural farmhouse

A JURY has heard how three elderly siblings were terrorised and tied up in a bedroom by two men who broke into their rural farmhouse near Pallasgreen five years ago.

Statements from Willie Creed, Nora Creed and Chrissie Creed, who are all aged in their 70s, were read out in court this Wednesday while their brother Tom, 74, gave evidence about the incident which happened at Ballyluddy, Pallasgreen on May 31, 2012. 

Patrick Roche, aged 52, of Kilcronan Close, Clondalkin, Dublin and his son Philip Roche, aged 24, also of Kilcronan Close, Clondalkin have pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated burglary and false imprisonment.

The jury has heard that when Nora opened the front door of the farmhouse at around 10pm having been alerted to a “scraping” sound she was forced back and knocked to the ground by the culprits who were dressed in black and had their faces covered.

When Willie and Chrissie reacted to the disturbance in the kitchen they too were confronted by the men who were armed with sticks and large knives.

Willie told gardai he was slashed across the arm by one of the culprits who, he said, were looking for money.

The three siblings were tied up and locked in a bedroom for around an hour by the culprits who proceeded to ransack the house.

It was discovered sometime later that around €5,000 in cash which had been hidden in a sock was taken. 

All three pensioners told gardai they believed they were going to die while their brother, Tom, who was the first to respond after the alarm was raised described the scene as “mahem” saying there was blood everywhere.

“Everything had been pulled out. There were cups, saucers, pans all scattered on the ground,” he told Michael Collins BL, prosecuting.

The three siblings, the court heard, were treated by paramedics at the farmhouse before being taken to University Hospital Limerick where they were detained overnight.

The trial continues.