A 93-YEAR-OLD PENSIONER was ‘traumatised’ after waking up to a violent struggle with an intruder in his bedroom in Killiney, south Co Dublin, a court heard.

Father of three Aaron Waddington, 35, was refused bail by Judge John Hughes at Dublin District Court today after being charged with burglary of the pensioner’s home in the early hours of Friday.

Mr Waddington of Loughlinstown Park, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, was remanded in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In evidence, Garda Andrzej Kufel said the unemployed defendant made no reply when charged.

The officer objected to bail due to the seriousness of the case. He alleged at about 3.30 am, the accused broke into the house by smashing a front room window.

Garda Kufel claimed the senior citizen “woke to find the suspect in his bedroom rummaging through his bedside locker”.

The court heard a “physical altercation between the old man and the accused ensued, and the suspect fled from the property.”

“The elderly man was left shaken and traumatised,” Garda Kufel said.

The complainant did not attend the contested bail hearing. It emerged that “There was significant damage to the house front window, and a trail of blood droplets went from the front room, up the stairs, into the office, and the bedroom.”

The garda alleged the accused was found nearby just under an hour later, bleeding from his left leg with his trousers ripped.

Judge Hughes heard that when asked what happened, he told the garda, “I made a stupid mistake getting into the house.”

When cautioned, Mr Waddington purportedly told the officer: “I was walking through Loughlinstown. I know the window was closed. I broke it and got inside, and then I realised, ah f***, that’s not my house.”

It was alleged that the accused had two watches identified by the injured party, and his clothes matched the description given by the pensioner.

DNA samples from the accused and crime scene were sent for analysis, but the court heard that the results were not yet available.

The garda estimated that the man was arrested a few hundred metres from the house. However, using Google maps, defence solicitor Colleen Gildernew showed it was 2.8 km away but the garda believed that was the driving distance.

Following his arrest, the defendant was not interviewed and had to be sent to hospital for emergency surgery for a “significant” leg injury.

Mr Waddington was using crutches when he was brought to court.

His solicitor also contended her client was “delirious” when arrested. She said he had no recollection of making the comments mentioned earlier during the hearing, which may be challenged later.

Mr Waddington did not address the court.

Pleading for bail the defence submitted that the accused would obey a suite of conditions including a curfew and a independent surety could be offered.

Gardai expected the case to be sent forward to the Circuit Court, and Ms Gildernew submitted that her presumed innocent client would face a lengthy period in custody while awaiting trial. She also said he had a close family member recovering from a serious injury and depended on him for care.

He also had seven other charges before the court today for thefts of cosmetics, alcohol, groceries, and hair clippers at several shops, worth €1,363 in total, in Ballybrack and Dun Laoghaire between May 2024 and March 1.

The defence argued that the charges went back almost a year and did not demonstrate a spree. But the garda replied that some of them were in more recent months.

Judge Hughes, noting the strength of the evidence, denied Mr Waddington bail.
His case resumes at Cloverhill District Court on Wednesday. Legal aid was granted.