Ennis Circuit Court has heard how a West Clare pensioner cycled 30 miles through the night to check himself into a nursing home after being terrorised by robbers at his remote home.
Three West Clare men have pleaded guilty to robberies at the Cree home of 68-year-old Michael McMahon two years ago.
At 10pm on February 21st 2012, intruders broke three windows of the remote home of Michael McMahon, two miles from the village of Cooraclare, and forced him to hand over 4,000 euro in cash.
After being told not to go to Gardai, he did not report the crime.
Four days later, thieves returned and pointed the rung of a gate, which resembled a gun, through a broken window and ordered the pensioner to hand over 3,000 euro he had withdrawn from the AIB in Kilrush the day after the first crime.
The criminals also saw bank books, outlining a substantial inheritance he had received, and ordered him to withdraw 50,000 euro from the bank that they would return for the following Monday.
After they left, at around 1 a.m., Mr. McMahon gathered his belongings and cycled for eight hours and 30 miles into St. Joseph’s Nursing Home in Ennis.
The bachelor was subsequently transferred to another nursing home where he remains today, too fearful to return home.
At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, 21 year-old Joseph Lernihan of Finnanon Park, Mullagh pleaded guilty to robbing Mr McMahon at Drumellihy West, Cree on both dates, while Shane Donnellan of Clohanbeg, Cree, Kilrush and Noel Garry of Tullycrine, Kilrush, both 20, pleaded guilty to robbery on the second night.
In evidence, Gardai said the prime mover in the crime was not before the courts as there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him. Judge Carroll Moran adjourned sentencing until March 3rd.
