A man has been remanded in custody to Mountjoy Prison on charges relating to the death of a married couple in Carane, near Ballintubber, Co Roscommon. Mr Mark Nash (24), of Clonliffe Road, Dublin, was charged with the murder of Ms Catherine Doyle (27), and her husband, Mr Carl Doyle (29), at their home in the village early on Saturday.
He was also charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Ms Sarah Jane Doyle, a sister of Ms Doyle. She is described as being in a stable condition in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.
Mr and Ms Doyle were found dead in the house shortly before 2 a.m. on Saturday.
Garda Jerry Curtin, of Millstreet Garda station, Galway, gave evidence of arresting Mr Nash at 7.45 p.m. on Saturday evening at Twomilebridge, about 11/2 miles outside Galway on the Tuam road. He told a special sitting of Galway District Court he arrested Mr Nash under Section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act.
Supt Tim Maher, of Castlerea Garda division, who led the investigation into the deaths, gave evidence of charging Mr Nash yesterday with the murder of Mr Carl Doyle "contrary to common law and Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1964, and Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1996".
He said he cautioned Mr Nash that anything he said would be written down and might be used in evidence against him. Mr Nash replied: "I'm sorry," according to Supt Maher.
He also charged Mr Nash with the murder of Ms Catherine Doyle at the same place on the same date. Mr Nash replied: "I am sorry."
Supt Maher then gave evidence of the charge that Mr Nash "did unlawfully and maliciously cause grievous bodily harm to one Sarah Jane Doyle, with intent to maim or disfigure or disable or to do other grievous bodily harm to one Sarah Jane Doyle, contrary to Section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act".
When he was cautioned in relation to this third charge, Mr Nash replied: "I wish it never happened. I love Sarah."
Supt Jim Sugrue, of Salthill Garda station, applied for the defendant to be remanded in custody until Tuesday.
A solicitor appointed to represent the defendant, Mr Peter Allen, said his client wished to apply for special protection as he was in fear for his life while in custody. His client also wanted a psychiatric assessment.
Judge Al O'Dea said he had no jurisdiction in these matters once the defendant had left the court.
Mr Allen said his client would be applying for free legal aid. He had been employed until recently but was now unemployed.
When Mr Nash was led into the court, he sat looking at the floor, sobbing quietly as clerks and officers of the court filed in. He then opened a tabloid newspaper and continued to sob as he read a news report. He blinked back tears and clenched his jaw.
When the brief hearing finished, Mr Nash stood up with the court and wiped his eyes. He then sat down again. While sitting, he looked once at the ceiling of the court, opening his mouth wide in a grimace of distress.