Limerick man jailed over 'savage' torture of woman

A WOMAN was strangled with a mobile phone cord, repeatedly stabbed with a car key, had bleach thrown in her face and told “this is where you are going to die”, Limerick Circuit Court heard.

Judge Tom O’Donnell described it as “savagery”.

Fintan Lynch, aged 43, of Focus Ireland apartments, Parnell Street, Limerick city pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, three assaults causing harm and production of a weapon.

Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan, instructed by State Solicitor Padraig Mawe, outlined the case with the assistance of Detective Garda Bryan Guilfoyle.

Mr O’Sullivan said the accused and victim had been engaged in an intermittent romantic relationship for nine months prior to the early hours of July 18, 2022.

Mr O’Sullivan said gardai responded to a 999 call at around 1.30am that a female had been assaulted by a male.

“They spoke to a lady in distress on Davis Street. She had visible injuries. The accused was arrested,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

Just over an hour earlier, Lynch had assaulted, beaten and headbutted the victim on Parnell Street.

“He prevailed upon her to go into his apartment. He punched and beat her, attempted strangulation with a cord of a mobile phone, stuck a tweezers in her and threw bleach in her face. He said he was going to put sugar in Dettol, boil it and throw it at her,” said Mr O’Sullivan.

The court heard Lynch told her she “doesn’t deserve to live” and “this is where you are going to die”.

While he was choking her with the phone cord the victim begged him to stop and said she couldn’t breathe. “That’s the point, you c***,” said Lynch, the court heard.

Mr O’Sullivan said Lynch told her he was going to get her father to give him €10,000 to let her go.

The prosecuting barrister said the victim’s phone was in her car.

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“Lynch was looking for ‘relaxers’. She said she might have some in her car. He brought her down to the car. He started looking for tablets. She ran towards the train station. He came after her and repeatedly stabbed her in the back with a car key. A male intervened which allowed her to run and scream for help,” said Mr O’Sullivan. CCTV footage was played to the courts of the assaults on the street.

The victim suffered bruising on her face, fractured nose, ligature marks on her neck from the attempted strangulation, her eyes required a wash-out from the bleach, wounds from the car key, has post traumatic stress disorder and mental health difficulties.

She declined to make a victim impact statement but did tell gardai she was terrified and an eye witness heard her say, “Stop, stop - you’re going to kill me”.

Lynch has a number of previous convictions including for robbery, arson, assault causing harm, possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances namely an Uzi submachine gun and a silencer.

Mr O’Sullivan said Lynch wasn’t that long out of custody.

He put it to Det Garda Guilfoyle there was an element of the victim being tortured? “Yes,” said the detective garda.

Mark Nicholas SC, who represented Lynch, said it was disgusting behaviour and his client is absolutely ashamed of himself.

“He was smoking crack cocaine and was well out of it. He was unfit to be questioned. That doesn’t excuse him. It is an awful case. The pictures (of the victim) tell a thousand words. It was horrific treatment of someone who is very special to him,” said

Mr Nicholas, who added that Lynch is tackling his “significant reliance of drugs” in prison.

Judge O’Donnell described it as “savagery”. He said Lynch’s previous convictions, including for possession of a firearm, underpin a history of violence.

Judge O’ Donnell said it was a very serious case.

“It was appalling. There was a shocking level of violence,” said the judge.

He imposed a six and half year jail sentence for false imprisonment backdated to July 22 when Lynch first went into custody.

Four and a half year sentences, to be served concurrently, were handed down on each of the three assaults and production of a weapon.

Judge O’Donnell said the ambivalence of people who witnessed the first assault on the street was extraordinary.

“From the video footage there are a number of witnesses across the road in clear sight. He is punching her. Not one lent assistance or rang gardai. It is a very sad indictment on our society.”