A 26-year-old man has been remanded in custody after being charged with the murder of retired farmer Paddy Lyons in Co Waterford at the weekend.
Ross Outram was brought before Dungarvan District Court where he was charged with murder of Mr Lyons (90) at Loughleagh, Ballysaggart, between February 24th and February 25th.
Det Sgt Shay Keevans of Dungarvan Garda station gave evidence of arrest charge and caution and told the court that he charged Mr Outram with the offence at 11.44pm on Tuesday.
He told the court that Mr Outram of Ferryland, Waterford Road, Clonmel, Co Tipperary made no reply to the charge when it was put to him after caution.
Defence solicitor Eamon Hayes from Clonmel said he had no questions for Det Sgt Keevans in relation to his arrest and charging of Mr Outram.
Judge Terence Finn asked Mr Outram to confirm his identity and his date of birth and Mr Outram, dressed in a navy tracksuit top and pants, stood up to confirm both to the judge.
Remand
Insp Larry Sheahan said that gardai were seeking a remand in custody to Clonmel District Court next Tuesday but Judge Finn questioned why he could not be remanded to Dungarvan next week. Insp Sheahan said that gardaí had no objection to that.
Mr Outram was remanded in custody to appear again at Dungarvan District Court next Wednesday.
Mr Hayes applied for free legal aid saying that his client’s only source of income was social welfare and Judge Finn granted him free legal aid to bring the three minute hearing to a close.
There was no application for bail with Mr Hayes acknowledging an observation by Judge Finn that he would have to go to the High Court to do so.
Mr Lyons, who lived alone in a cottage down the end of a laneway off the main Lismore-Mitchelstown Road, was found dead in his house at around 5pm on Saturday by a neighbour.
No funeral arrangements have been announced yet for Mr Lyons who was an only child and lived alone at his 30 acre holding at Ballysaggart following the deaths of his parents over 40 years ago.