Brothers charged after allegedly attacking Cork man with machete

Two brothers have been remanded in custody after they were charged in connection with an attack on a father-of-three who ended up in an induced coma in hospital after suffering serious burn injuries.

Alan (27) and Jason Quilligan (24) from Eagle Valley, Wilton, in Cork, were both charged at a special sitting of Cork District Court with aggravated burglary at the home of Keith Greaney (23) at Dunard, Mayfield, in Cork, on January 20th.

Det Garda Edmond O'Donoghue gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Jason Quilligan and Det Garda Mark Durcan gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution against Alan Quilligan during the 50-minute hearing.

The two men are brothers and neither made any reply to the charge and Insp Jason Lynch said gardaí were seeking a remand in custody for both men given the seriousness of the charge which carries a life sentence upon conviction.

Defence barrister Emmet Boyle applied for bail on behalf of both men but Det Garda O'Donoghue and Det Garda Durcan outlined their objections to bail including the nature and strength of the evidence against them.

Both officers outlined the alleged facts in the case, namely that both accused forced their way into a house in Dunard in Mayfield in the early hours of January 20th and attacked the injured party with a machete and car exhaust pipe.

Both detectives told the court that Mr Greaney suffered serious burns to his head and upper body in the incident and had to be taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where he spent several days in an induced coma.

Intimidate

Both detectives said they had concerns the brothers would attempt to intimidate Mr Greaney as Jason Quilligan had previously been friends with him. Det Garda O’Donoghue said Jason Quiligan was known to an eyewitness who identified him.

Mr Boyle said that both accused were willing to give undertakings that they would stay on Cork’s southside where they live and not cross over to the city’s northside where the injured party resides.

He also said that they were both willing to sign on daily at Togher Garda station, abide by a curfew and provide gardaí with mobile phone numbers with which to contact them day and night.

But both gardaí said they would not be satisfied with such undertakings with Det Garda O’Donoghue saying they might accept them in “a normal case” but this was different because the accused knew the injured party and his address.

Judge Mary Dorgan said she was satisfied the prosecution had established its case regarding bail and she refused bail and remanded the accused in custody to appear again at Cork District Court on February 6th.

She granted both free legal aid, whom the court heard each have one child and are in receipt of social welfare.