Grandmother (46) and her boyfriend ‘left mum and daughter terrified after beating during burglary’, court told

​A Dublin couple have been accused of forcing their way into a house and beating up a mother and daughter who were both left “shocked and traumatised” and with facial injuries.

One of the women had hair pulled out when she was dragged to the ground and kicked in the head during an attack at their home, gardaí alleged.

Sharon Murphy (46) and Gary O’Neill (47) of Drumalee Park, North Circular Road, are both charged with burglary and two counts of assault causing harm to the women, who are known to them.

Judge Shalom Binchy granted them conditional bail at Dublin District Court and adjourned the case for DPP directions.

Objecting first to bail for Ms Murphy, who is mother and grandmother, a garda said when he went to the women’s house in Cabra he found a picture of an alleged victim’s son, who had died years previous, had been broken.

The women told him Ms Murphy had entered the house through the front door. One of the victims said she was hit several times by Ms Murphy and was left in pain.

One of the women had been allegedly pulled to the ground by the hair and kicked in the head and the garda could see hair on the ground.

“(Ms Murphy) will say some of her own hair had been pulled and discarded,” the accused’s solicitor said.

The mother and daughter victims both had visible injuries – swelling and bruising – to their faces, the garda said.

In Mr O’Neill’s bail hearing, the younger victim gave evidence alleging he had told her “next time you’re dead” and she feared he would “come after me again” if released.

“I’m so afraid I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, when I go to bed I leave the light on, I can’t go outside the door,” she said.

Her mother said she was “terrified for my life”.

The accused, who are presumed innocent, would be in custody for some time pending trial if refused bail, their solicitor said.

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