A neighbour charged with the murder and attempted murder of a woman and her daughter in a gun attack at a home in Tallaght in Dublin was too sick to face court yesterday.
Mary Dargan (66) died from a shotgun blast to the head after she encountered a man entering the back of her house at Killinarden estate at about 4pm on March 15th last. Her daughter, Karina Dargan (34), who also lives in the house, suffered injuries to her face. She was taken to Tallaght Hospital and later released. Several of Ms Dargan’s grandchildren, including a four-year-old girl, were in the house at the time and were passed outside through windows.
A neighbour, James Redmond (58), was charged with murder and attempted murder, and had been remanded in custody after he appeared at Dublin District Court on March 17th. An order had been made that he was to be psychologically assessed. However, he has not been able to attend court hearings on three subsequent dates.
Mr Redmond was too unwell to attend a hearing on March 21st at Cloverhill District Court and the case had been put back until April 2nd, when he was again unable to come to the proceedings which led to another adjournment. A sick warrant was again produced to the court yesterday and Judge Victor Blake granted a two-week adjournment.
Gardaí had arrived at the Dargan house and had arrested Mr Redmond. He had already been restrained at the scene and was later treated in St James’s Hospital for minor injuries. He was released from hospital and was detained for questioning under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
At his first court hearing, on March 17th, Mr Redmond was granted legal aid. The proceedings have not yet reached a stage where he has to indicate how he will be pleading to the charges.