Feud erupts as man attacked with golf clubs and knife on Limerick street after wedding party

A “LONG-STANDING” intergenerational family feud” erupted in a county town after a wedding when a man was attacked by three juveniles armed with golf clubs and a knife, a court has heard.

The victim suffered a broken eye socket, knife marks on his back, head, left ear and golf club marks to his head and forehead.

The accused pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on the town's main street on June 21, 2020. A charge of producing a knife in the course of a dispute was taken into consideration.

Evidence was heard in October with Judge Sinead McMullan adjourning the case to last month to give her judgement.

The judge said the defendant was one of three co-accused. She said the defendant was 17 at the time and the other two males were 14 and 15. The judge reiterated reporting restrictions on the then 14 and 15-year-olds as they were sentenced as juveniles.

They received 240 hours of community service in lieu of 12 months in prison. The Limerick Leader has chosen not to name the accused for fear of identifying the two juveniles. 

The case was prosecuted by Lily Buckley BL, instructed by State solicitor Brendan Gill, with the assistance of Garda Patrick Morgan.

Judge McMullan, in summarising the evidence, said the victim was attending a party after a wedding in a house in an estate.

“There was evidence given of a long-standing intergenerational family feud. There had been some flare ups before the incident in question. The victim left the party and wanted to get a taxi to go home.  He was walking down the road when he saw  three youths coming towards him. 

“He saw that two of them had golf clubs and this accused had a knife. One of them, not this accused, hit him into the back of the head. He fell to the ground and said the other two accused began hitting him into the back and sides while on the ground. Then this accused came at him with a knife and hit him into the back of his head and back with a knife,” said Judge McMullan.

She said photos of the victim’s injuries were “shocking”. There were knife marks on his back, head, left ear and  golf club marks to his head and forehead. His eye socket was fractured and had “a very serious cut over his ear”.

The accused was arrested in July 2020 and admitted being involved in an incident.  He told gardai his brother had been beaten up.

Judge McMullan noted that the defendant told gardai he “just wanted the feud to end”.

The judge also “put it on the record” that the injured party and his family are “adamant that they have no hand act or part in any kind of precursor to this fight, or any type of feud-like behaviour”. 

The court heard the “devastating effect” of the crime in the victim impact statement. He suffers from PTSD and panic attacks

“He said he’ll never forget the fear of being on the ground. The effect on him was very severe. He was paranoid, very cautious. 

“In fact, he moved away after this because he felt safer. He was too afraid to live at home. He said he's back now and finally has the confidence to go out again in his own hometown.

“The victim made the point that there was an ongoing feud with his wider family, with his relatives. He said he and his family weren't involved,” said Judge McMullan.

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The judge said the court was impressed that the accused’s mother had decided to move her family in 2019 to get away from the feud and to try and make sure they didn't get into trouble.

Judge McMullan also took into account his young age at the time, his remorse, no incidents of a similar nature in the last four years, has no issues with alcohol or drugs, is working as a roofer and has €2,500 in compensation.

However, the judge said the man before the court had a knife, the victim suffered serious physical injuries and spoke of the effect the assault had on him.

Judge McMullan imposed a two year jail sentence which she suspended in its entirety.

“He has had no relevant convictions since. He is leading a pro-social life. 

“He will always have this serious conviction on his record, and it's appropriate that he does, as it marks the gravity of the offending,” concluded Judge McMullan.

The victim declined the €2,500 in compensation and asked that it be donated to St Francis School in Beaufort, Co Kerry.