A 24-man-old man replied “no comment” when he was charged with the murder of his two sisters and brother in Tallaght, a court has heard.
Lisa Cash (18), and her eight-year-old twin brother and sister, Christy and Chelsea Cawley, died after a violent incident at their family home in Rossfield Avenue, in the Brookfield area, in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Gardaí from Tallaght station supported by armed detectives and members of an armed support unit responded.
During a stand-off, officers used non-lethal devices to arrest Andrew Cash, also from Rossfield Avenue.
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He was detained at Tallaght Garda station. On Monday evening, he was charged with the three murders and brought to appear before Judge Patricia McNamara at a special late sitting of Dublin District Court.
Dressed in a grey sweater, black tracksuit bottoms and runners, he sat silently on the defendant’s bench at the side of the courtroom. The judge called his name and asked him to stand up and then told him he could sit down again.
During the brief hearing, Garda Rob Whitty gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. He said the accused was arrested for the murder of Lisa Cash, and Christy and Chelsea Cawley at 7.43 pm. He was then charged with the three counts of murder.
“His reply to the charges after caution was ‘no comment’ to each charge and he was handed a true copy of each charge sheet,” said Garda Whitty.
Mr Cash did not address the court.
The District Court cannot grant bail in murder cases which require an application before the High Court.
Garda Whitty asked the court to remand Mr Cash in custody to appear via video link at Cloverhill District Court on Friday.
Judge McNamara granted that order and legal aid, noting the “very serious charges” and that there was no objection.
She also acceded to a request from defence solicitor Waheed Mudah to ask for a psychological assessment of Mr Cash in custody. However, when the solicitor asked the court to direct that his client would be kept in “solitary confinement”, she said that was a matter for the prison governor.