Men jailed for ‘savage’ attack in Limerick city centre
Garda surveillance resulted in the jailing of two Limerick brothers caught transporting a high-powered sub machine gun
TWO men who “savagely attacked” and robbed another man in the city centre almost two years leaving him with serious facial injuries were each sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Paul Edwards, aged 21, of Broad Street and Niall Joyce, aged 20, of Cosgrove Park, Moyross have both pleaded guilty to assaulting the man, causing him harm at Bedford Row on February 19, 2011.
Previously, Limerick Circuit Court was told the incident happened at around 2am when the injured party was walking to get a taxi home following a night out in the city centre.
The victim, who is aged in his 40s, suffered a fractured jaw, a broken nose, two black eyes and loose teeth after he was kicked and punched repeatedly by the defendants who took his mobile phone, wallet and house keys.
Judge Carroll Moran was told during a sentencing hearing, that 90% of the victim’s lip and chin area were numb following the unprovoked attack and that he could only eat liquidised food for three months afterwards and still has difficulty chewing.
The court was told the defendants, who had been arrested in relation to separate matters earlier in the night, were caught on CCTV cameras leaving the scene of the assault.
They were wearing the exact same clothing as seen on the CCTV footage when they were observed in the Bedford Row area again shortly before 4am - less than two hours after the attck.
Following their arrest the suspects, who had taken alcohol and Xanex tablets on the night, admitted their involvement in the incident.
The court heard the victim was out of work for some time after the attack and attended counselling for the trauma he suffered.
Imposing sentence, Judge Moran said the injured party had suffered serious injures as a result of a “pretty savage beating”.
He added that the attack was unprovoked.
Despite undertakings from both Edwards and Joyce that they would stay away from drugs and alcohol, Judge Moran said he had to impose a custodial sentence.
He imposed a three year prison sentence on the each of the defendants but suspended the final year on condition they keep the peace following their release.
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