Edward Charles O’Reilly pleads not guilty to aggravated burglary

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Edward Charles O’Reilly has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to aggravated burglary. He also denied two charges of assault causing harm to his uncle, Edward O'Reilly, and Michael McDonagh.

The charges concern an alleged incident at Deansrath Avenue, Clondalkin, on 11 May 2013. The proceedings were reported on 26 February 2016.

Edward O'Reilly told the court that his nephew struck him twice in the head with a slash hook. He said about four people, including the accused, entered the room after he heard the front door being kicked in.

Under cross-examination by Padraig Dwyer SC, defending, he agreed he was not supposed to have been drinking alcohol because he was on a strong dose of methadone. He accepted he had been drunk when gardaí arrived and that his memory of the event was “pretty poor”.

Michael McDonagh said the accused hit him on the head with a slash hook while another male struck him twice with an iron bar. He said he had consumed up to 10 litres of cider that day.

Mr Dwyer suggested that his client had not taken part in an assault and had arrived after the attack to take another male away. Mr McDonagh denied this but accepted he was extremely intoxicated at the time.

The trial was continuing before Judge Karen O’Connor and a jury.