Four men charged in connection with alleged Belturbet aggravated burglary

Four men have today appeared at Cavan District Court charged in connection with an alleged aggravated burglary and serious assault in Belturbet Town last Monday night.

John Doyle (24) with an address at Barrack Hill, Belturbet; Keith White (25) with an address at 9 Railway Lough, Belturbet; Richard Sweeney (24) with an address at 9 Railway Park, Belturbet and Stephen Coogan (22) with an address at 4 Railway View, Cavan were all refused bail by Judge Sean MacBride and remanded in custody to Castlerea Prison to appear at Harristown District Court tomorrow (Friday).

Detective Garda Paul Cullen told the court that it's alleged that the defendants entered the home of a 59-year-old man at St Mary's Terrace, Belturbet, at around 11pm last Monday night.

There it's alleged they put the injured party in fear of his life. Evidence was given that they emptied a coal bucket, put it over his head, and beat him around the head. The court was also told that two of the assailants stood on the couch where the injured party was sitting and kicked him and beat him again.

Det Gda Cullen said that had the alleged victim not escaped to a locked room, he fully believed that 'they may have killed him'.

For full details of the case, see next week's Anglo-Celt.