Shock as daughter of prominent Irish publican released from prison after vicious assault

Alison Chawke, a daughter of well-known Limerick publican Charlie Chawke, has been released from prison just four weeks into a 12-month sentence.

Ms Chawke and her brother Bill Chawke pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to two men at the Dunraven Arms Hotel, Adare, on November 9, 2023.

READ NEXT: Man airlifted to hospital following suspected shark bite off Irish coast

Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard that Ms Chawke, aged 41, bit one of the victims on the left cheek with such force that she “locked on".

Judge Fiona O’Sullivan said that the assault was “unprovoked and did have an element of ferocity”.

On July 14 last, Ms Chawke was sentenced to two years and two months with the final 14 months suspended for two years and two months on her own bond of €1,000 and on the condition that she keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

A source confirmed to Limerick Live that Ms Chawke was released from Limerick Female Prison yesterday, Tuesday, August 11 - exactly four weeks into her 12-month jail sentence.

It is understood Ms Chawke, of The Beeches, Holywell, Goatstown, Dublin 14 was released as part of the Community Return Scheme.

According to the Irish Prison Service website, it is an incentivised scheme for the supervised release of qualifying prisoners who complete unpaid community work as a condition of their early release.

“It gives prisoners, whom the Irish Prison Service and Probation Service have assessed as being suitable and motivated, the opportunity of early - and renewable temporary release with resettlement support.

“It is available for those who have been assessed as posing no threat to the community; are serving more than one year and fewer than eight years, and who have served at least 50% of their sentence,” it reads.

The programme involves participants doing supervised community service instead of remaining in prison. A source said that significant overcrowding in Limerick Female Prison may may have been a contributory factor in her early release.

Limerick Live contacted the Irish Prison Service regarding Ms Chawke’s release.

A spokesperson said: “The Irish Prison Service does not comment on individual prisoner cases.”

A local who contacted Limerick Live regarding Ms Chawke’s early reason said it was “disgusting”.

“This woman bit a man in the face. A judge gave her 12 months in jail and she is out and about four weeks later. It is disgusting,” they said.

During the court case, prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley BL, instructed by State solicitor Brendan Gill, outlined that the victims’ evidence to gardaí stated that Alison Chawke was “loud and a bit messy” and “clearly intoxicated.”

Ms Buckley said that one of the victims felt fingers in his eyes and around his eye area, after he had been knocked to the ground.

One of the victims told gardaí: “I didn’t do anything to draw this vicious response.”

The court heard that Ms Chawke got involved and bit one of the victims on the left cheek with such force that she “locked on.”

The victim told gardaí: “I felt someone bite me, it happened very quickly.”

The man who was bitten on the cheek attended the VHI Swift Care Clinic and was given an anti-tetanus injection and steri-strips for the injury.