Community response led to swift arrest

One of the gardaí who investigated the assault said there had been a significant local response to enquiries which led to James Reilly being apprehended later the same day.

Garda Michael Rochford said there had been a good flow of information coming in.

He has been stationed in Blackrock five years and told the court of a fantastic community spirit in the village.

The Lynch family is well respected and would be regarded as pillars of the community.

CCTV footage from the community centre which Mr Lynch would have been facing as he sat on the bench became the focus of garda attention.

A member of the public also provided CCTV footage, and this person felt he could put a name to an image of the accused which appeared on social media.

Mr Lynch also provided a detailed description of his assailant.

On the evening of the attack on 10 August last, Sgt Mick Sheridan obtained a warrant to search the home of Reilly at Gort na Glaise, located a short walk from the scene of the incident.

Although he lives with his mother, Reilly was alone when gardaí and members of the Armed Support Unit arrived.

A knife was found hidden underneath a couch the defendant was sitting on.

It had a 20cm blade which was 4cm wide. The blade and handle were both coloured red.

Gda Rochford described it as quite a large knife, and said that tests showed Mr Lynch’s blood was on it.

Other items seized included distinctive clothing, a phone cover and a PPS card in Mrs Lynch’s name.

Evidence was given that four days before the attack on her husband, 6 August, 2019, Mrs Lynch believed her handbag had been moved in the house.

There was no sign of forced entry but she noticed her purse had been stolen.

Another man, who had parked his car outside the Lynch’s house around 11.45am on 10 August returned to find his iPhone and its case were gone. Gda Rochford said following the search he arrested James Reilly at 12.44am on 11 August. He made no admissions.

Reilly has been in custody since that date. The court was told he has 19 previous convictions for offences including possession of drugs, theft, forgery, driving without insurance, being drunk in charge of a vehicle and causing criminal damage; and has been sentenced to terms of imprisonment of up to six months.

For the criminal damage offence, he got a suspended two-year sentence in the circuit court on 19 October, 2010.

Cross-examined by defence counsel, Gda Rochford said Reilly was a chronic heroin user, having taken to the drug rather late in life. He had worked as a bricklayer.

Counsel added this was a ‘cowardly, vicious, unprovoked attack on an elderly gentleman and his wife’.

‘ There is no excuse and can be no excuse. He (Reilly) is full of shame and remorse and, through me, offers his apologies to Mr and Mrs Lynch and the wider family.’

It was a horrible and horrendous offence, he added.