Two Cork men were charged with burgling a house in the city on August 1st when they appeared at a special sitting of Cork District Court at the weekend. The court was told an elderly woman was later found dead in the house.
The burglary occurred in the home of Ms Margaret Murphy (74), at Barretts Buildings, Gurranebraher, Cork. The men charged were Mr John Arundel (23), of Bakers Road, Gurranebraher, and Mr Declan Meehan (23), of St Declan's Road, Gurranebraher.
They were charged with entering the house and stealing coins valued at £334. The money was in a biscuit tin, a beer mug and a black shoulder bag. Ms Murphy had operated a newspaper business from her home.
Insp Tim Callaghan opposed bail and said the charges were extremely serious because the elderly woman had been found dead in the house after the incident. A file was being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions and there was a possibility that more serious charges would be preferred, he added.
Judge Terence Finn, however, allowed bail in independent sureties of £10,000 for each man, or £20,000 in cash. The men are due to appear at Cork District Court again today.