Jail for Offaly man after court hears victim's eyes were gouged

A MAN will serve a three-month sentence after Tullamore District Court was told of an assault where the victim's eyes were gouged.

Pat Craven (51), Main Street, Kilcormac, pleaded guilty to assaulting Tony Dalzell, causing him harm, at The Square, Kilcormac on January 11 last.

He also admitted having a garden shears with a pointed tip at St Cormac's Park the following day, January 12.

Sergeant Richard Thornton told Judge Andrew Cody that Mr Craven punched Mr Dalzell and gouged his eyes, resulting in the victim having to go to the accident and emergency department in Tullamore Hospital.

Judge Cody noted that Mr Craven had 13 previous convictions including one for assault in the Circuit Court dating from December 2022, five weeks before the offence to which he was now pleading guilty.

Defending solicitor Donal Farrelly said the background to the assault was a dispute between both men.

On January 11 they were on a bus and Mr Craven was very incensed because he believed Mr Dalzell owed him €1,500 compensation for breaking his arm previously.

The accused remonstrated with Mr Dalzell and they got into an argument and as a result of the dispute the injured party suffered bruising to his eyes.

Mr Farrelly outlined that Pat Craven lived with his mother who was an elderly woman well into her 80s. In addition, his client's father was extremely unwell.

Furthermore, the Craven household had been damaged by a number of youths and his client's mother made many complaints to the gardai about that because it was extremely upsetting for her.

Mr Dalzell was before the court in relation to an allegation that he damaged the door, the solicitor said.

Judge Cody responded: “Blaming the victim of an assault doesn't do him much good here, let me tell you that.” He repeated that Mr Craven had been convicted of assault five weeks before the incident.

Mr Farrelly said that even though his client's arm had been broken in a previous incident there was no reason for Mr Craven to cause Mr Dalzell harm and he now regretted it.

He was a man who suffered from severe depression and anxiety and was on heavy medication. Mr Farrelly described him as the sole minder and carer for his elderly parents.

He accepts he had done wrong and had pleaded guilty at first opportunity.

Judge Cody again noted the accused's 13 previous convictions and said the one for which he was sentenced in December was similar but presumably more serious because it was in the Circuit Court.

He had received a suspended sentence for that and it was his belief that suspended sentences should be taken seriously.

“As I've said here on previous occasions, certainly from me that's not a slap on the wrist. That didn't seem to deter him.”

He sentenced Mr Craven to to three months in prison on both charges, to run concurrently.

He fixed recognisances for an appeal but Mr Farrelly told the court his client would not be appealing and would be serving the sentence.

Mr Craven is to appear in court again by videolink in relation to his breach of the terms of the sentence suspended by the Circuit Court.