A number of people are ‘assisting’ gardaí with their inquiries
Edwin McGreal
edwinmcgreal@mayonews.ie
Gardaí in Castlebar have interviewed a number of people as part of their ongoing investigation into the aggravated burglary at the home of Castlebar businesswoman Regina Sweeney earlier this month.
Ms Sweeney was the victim of a second savage assault in her home-cum-business on February 6. She was also the victim of a similar attack on December 1.
While no arrests have been made yet, a Garda spokesperson said they had interviewed a number of people who are ‘assisting’ them with their inquiries.
The spokesperson said a ‘mammoth’ investigation into the attack was ongoing and that ‘no stone is being left unturned’.
Gardaí are continuing to appeal for the public’s assistance into the attack at Ms Sweeney’s bridal boutique business at Corheens, Breaffy on Wednesday week last. Anyone who was in the Corheens area between 12pm and 4pm on Wednesday, February 6 are asked to contact Castlebar Garda Station on 094 9022222, even if they don’t think they saw anything suspicious.
Ms Sweeney (36) was tied to the stairs in her house, gagged with masking tape and was hit and choked by two masked men, who only fled when she managed to sound a panic button she had on her person.
It is believed that the attack wasn’t a random one but a motive is unclear. A small amount of cash was also taken.
Ms Sweeney spoke out after her first attack and bravely told her story on The Late, Late Show during a discussion on rural crime last month. In the attack on December 4, she suffered a hairline crack of her cheekbone, bruised kidneys and a shoulder injury. Then she foiled intruders by setting off the alarm but in doing so was assaulted by one of the intruders. A substantial amount of cash was taken. Regina’s husband Declan is a garda detective in Castlebar.
That gang are believed to have been involved in an eight hour long chase with gardaí on December 1 and the early hours of December 2 before escaping. They drove a high-powered Subaru Legacy and escaped after one of the biggest car chases the west of Ireland has ever seen.
They were also linked with burglaries in Ballina and Enniscrone on Saturday, December 1. That was during a spate of burglaries in the Mayo area. On Thursday, December 6 two men were arrested after a car in which they were back seat passengers in crashed near Milltown, Co Galway.
The driver and front-seat passenger escaped on foot. The car was earlier subject to a garda chase after gardaí say it was acting suspiciously in the Hollymount area.
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