A 39-YEAR-OLD woman is to stand trial accused of assault with intent to murder her father, who died after he was attacked in his south Dublin home in 1988.
Her arrest follows a cold case review by gardaí.
Father-of-two Christopher Payne was attacked at Rutland Grove, Crumlin, in May 1988, by a group of men armed with a hatchet.
Mr Payne, who also suffered from a chronic kidney ailment, was treated in hospital for serious head injuries sustained in the assault but never recovered, and died six months later aged 38.
Two men were jailed in 1989 for their role in the attack.
Yesterday, following the cold case review, Christopher Payne’s daughter Sharon Cullen, who now resides in Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, was brought before Dublin District Court.
Aged 15 at the time of the alleged incident, she now faces two charges of assault with intent to murder Christopher Payne, and assaulting her father causing grievous bodily harm, on May 13th 1988.
Det Sgt Daniel Kelly told Judge Timothy Lucey that Ms Cullen was arrested in Ballyjamesduff on Monday at 7.25pm and brought to Crumlin Garda station, where she “made no reply” when charged.
The judge heard the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed Ms Cullen is to be “returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court on both charges”.
Defence solicitor Lorraine Stevens said she had already canvassed the bail terms with Det Sgt Kelly. She said “given the nature of the offence” an independent surety of €5,000 had been proposed.
Ms Cullen sat throughout the brief hearing with her hands on her lap.
She remained silent and was not required to speak during the proceedings.
Det Sgt Kelly agreed there was no objection to bail, subject to conditions being set down by the court.
The judge remanded Ms Cullen on bail in her own bond of €1,000, with an independent surety of €5,000, to appear again on January 17th next, when she is to be served with a book of evidence.
He imposed bail conditions on Ms Cullen and told her she must sign on twice a week at a Garda station and “surrender her passport and not apply for a new passport or travel documents”.
Free legal aid was granted after the judge heard Ms Cullen was unemployed.