Intruders wearing Halloween masks hit a woman on the head with a gun and broke a man’s shoulder with a hammer during separate raids in Co Down, the High Court heard today.
Prosecutors said a machete was also brandished at one of the two Bangor addresses targeted in less than a week.
Armed response police officers subsequently located an alleged gang member hiding in the attic of a property where a consignment of cocaine and £13,000 in cash was seized, a judge was told.
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Details emerged as Mark Mooney was refused bail on charges linked to the break-ins.
The 43-year-old, of Fort Terrace in Bangor, is accused of two counts each of aggravated burglary and possessing a firearm or imitation firearm, possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, and having further quantities of cannabis and pregabalin.
The court was told four men wearing disguises and armed with weapons entered the female victim’s home at Rathgill Meadow on the evening of October 6.
“They were wearing Halloween masks and she initially thought it was a joke by some of her friends,” a Crown lawyer said.
“But one of them struck her on the forehead with a handgun.”
During the incident a machete was also produced and used to damage the front door before the raiders left the scene.
According to the woman one of the intruders shouted: “Up the good guys.”
Mooney was allegedly recognised by his build and voice, with the woman claiming he made a similar remark to her in an earlier phone call.
Police have linked the attack to a previous raid on a house at Railwayview Street in Bangor in the early hours of September 30.
A gang wearing Halloween masks broke in and struck the male occupant several times with a hammer, inflicting a broken shoulder.
Even though there is no identification evidence for that incident, the prosecution alleged that it involved the same modus operandi.
On October 11 police searched another property and discovered all of those suspected of taking part in the burglaries.
Mooney was located in the attic, while officers also seized 226g of cocaine, cash and drug-related paraphernalia from the premises.
He denied involvement in either raid and provided an alibi for the earlier incident.
The prosecutor added: “He claimed to be hiding in the attic of the premises because he was under threat from paramilitaries.”
Opposing bail, she said none of the guns or the machete used in the burglaries have been recovered.
Defence counsel argued that Mooney was not identified at one of the alleged break-ins and predicted a significant delay in any trial.
However, Mr Justice Humphreys ruled that the accused must remain in custody due to the suspected involvement of organised crime.
The judge said: “The amount of drugs and cash, and the alleged terrorising of private householders with the use of weapons and masks, are [indicative] of that type of behaviour.”
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