Man held after pensioner is beaten to death on his birthday
GARDAI arrested a 47-yearold man last night as part of an investigation into the death of a pensioner, beaten viciously in his own home — the third violent death in seven days.
Tony Tims (74) suffered fatal head injuries after being attacked at his home in Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, Dublin last Friday night.
Mr Tims had been at his local pub before returning to his house shortly after 8pm.
Gardai are currently working on the theory that Mr Tims had been involved in a verbal disagreement before it escalated into pushing and shoving between the victim and the other man.
During the altercation, Mr Tims fell to the ground and it is believed his attacker kicked him in the head a number of times.
A woman who witnessed the incident tried to prevent the sustained assault but was unable to stop the attack on Mr Tims. Locals yesterday told the Sunday Independent that the woman was seen running from the house screaming for help from neighbours.
It is understood the attacker later returned to the kitchen and attacked Mr Tims again. Gardai believe the man then fled the scene of the attack on a bicycle.
The 47-year-old man arrested last night was being detained at Lucan Garda Station under Section Four of Criminal Justice Act.
Paramedics carried out CPR on Mr Tims at the scene before rushing him to Tallaght Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
One local, who did not wish to be named, said shouting could be heard coming from the house shortly before gardai arrived at the scene.
It is understood Mr Tims may have been celebrating his birthday shortly before the incident at a local pub.
A neighbour of Mr Tims said: “Tony had been drinking over in the local pub. It was his 74th birthday. There was screaming coming from the house, a voice saying ‘What have you done?’”
Another neighbour said that Mr Tims suffered from emphysema and in recent times he had rarely ventured out of his house.
“It’s tragic. This area is very quiet. You never get any trouble around here. It’s a quiet cul-de-sac.”
A Garda spokesman said they were called to a house to deal with a “domestic dispute”.
“At approximately 8.45pm, gardai in Ronanstown were called to a house at Rowlagh Green where a male had been injured. It is believed that there was an earlier domestic dispute at the house.”
A post-mortem examination will take place today.
The scene was closed off and a detailed examination by the Garda Technical Bureau continued throughout the day.
Ronanstown Garda Station are appealing for any witnesses, or anyone with information in relation to the incident to come forward and contact the station at 01-6667700.
Separately in Cork, detectives are continuing their investigation into the fatal stabbing of a young man following a confrontation on the street.
Conor Quinn (24), who was originally from Loughrea in Co Galway, managed to stagger across Bridge Street in Mallow, Co Cork, and approach a shocked ambulance crew who were passing the area at the time for help.
The attack, shortly before 9pm last Thursday night, was also fully captured by CCTV security cameras, which were installed on a nearby Mallow apartment complex only a few weeks ago.
Gardai have obtained a full recording of the incident.
Mallow gardai launched a murder investigation after a post-mortem examination was carried out by assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster, at Cork University Hospital (CUH).
Last Friday, mourners were told that the killing of a young man in a crowded bar in Limerick last weekend was “brutal” and “futile.”
Patrick ‘Pa’ O’Connor (24), from Kileely, Limerick, was fatally stabbed by another man in Fitzgerald’s Bar, Thomondgate, Limerick, last Saturday.
Mr O’Connor died from his injuries in hospital in the early hours of last Sunday.
Last Wednesday, a 41-year old man, Mark Crawford, with an address at Distillery View, Thomondgate, appeared before Limerick District Court, charged with Mr O’Connor’s murder.