Wexford family terrified after three petrol bombs were thrown through window as they lay sleeping

New Ross Standard

A woman and her family are in a state of shock after their home in Wexford housing estate was the target of a petrol bomb attack over the weekend, while they lay sleeping in bed in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The sounds of glass smashing and alarms ringing woke Geraldine Dunne and her family as smoke then began to fill the house their house in Monastery Avenue in Taghmon, while items in the porch area rapidly caught fire from three petrol bombs hurled at the front of the house that were made with Budweiser bottles.

“It was such a fright we got,” said Geraldine as she recounted the “terrifying” incident.

“I’m in my 60s and my children who were in the house are adults, they’re 39 and 29 years of age, and we’re all trying to cope with the loss of my husband who died a year ago from cancer,” she continued.

“I’m still coping with that. We’re all still coping with that, and for someone to turn around and do this after what we’ve been through already, it’s heart-breaking.

“This is our home and since that night I no longer want to be here. There’s a smell of burning and petrol inside the house and, outside the house, even my flower pots outside were all burnt and destroyed,” Ms Dunne added.

The porch of Geraldine’s home, inside and out, received significant damage, in addition to smashed windows, while the family were lucky to have woken in time to call the emergency services and none of them were injured from the attack.

On Monday, July 7, the emergency services responded to a car on fire in close proximity to Saturday night’s attack on the woman’s home, however, gardí confirmed the two incidents not to be linked. The engulfed car was not a malicious crime.

“I don’t know what’s going on here because this is usually a very quiet area. We just want some clarification as to why these scumbags targeted us. We’re very lucky that none of us were injured and that none of my grandchildren or great grandchild were staying with us, I used to always take them but since my husband died and due to my health, it’s hard,” said Geraldine.

A group of masked men are now at the centre of the garda investigation as CCTV from the area is being examined, however, no arrests have yet been made.

Meanwhile, local Councillor, Jim Codd has condemned the attack and said he was “horrified” to have received the call from the “frightened resident”.

“They could have burned the family in their sleep,” said Cllr Codd.

He continued: “This is not the first time I’ve raised the issue of petrol bomb attacks in the same village, and it highlights the need for a much greater garda presence. I’m not saying a word against the guards in Taghmon, but the problem is, we just don’t have enough guards in rural districts. We need them circulating serious criminals like these. Those that are willing to jeopardise lives must be confronted.”

Cllr Codd reiterated his stance on policing levels in the area and said “this level of criminality needs to be addressed”.

“People are frightened and the perpetrators need to be behind bars because this type of intimidation is very serious. This is the second petrol bomb attack in our beautiful, historic village and people are frightened, because if thugs are willing to drive in, throw petrol bombs and drive away, it sadly leaves us all unnerved,” Cllr Codd added.

The local representative concluded by saying that he’s aware of incidents where locals were afraid of retaliation and threats being made when people were going to report similar crimes to the gardaí, “but we must hold them accountable.”

“We need to call them out and not let our districts be turned into warzones,” he said.

An Garda Síochána is appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them on (053) 916 5200 or their confidential line on 1800 666 111.