Limerick man jailed for punching his partner’s mother in the face

A man who struck his girlfriend’s mother in the face during a late-night row has been sentenced to four months’ imprisonment.

The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman, who is aged in her 60s, at her home on the southside of Limerick city in the early hours of February 17, 2018.

Sergeant Michelle Leahy said gardai were alerted to a disturbance at 2.10am and that when they arrived at the woman’s house a short time later, she was bleeding from her mouth. 

The defendant, she added, was located a short time later hiding behind a wall at the rear of the property.

Judge Mary Larkin was told the woman lost a number of teeth as a result of being struck and she commented that the contents of a victim impact statement which was submitted to the court made for difficult reading.

Solicitor Tom Kiely said his client, who works as a labourer, has struggled with alcohol addiction and that he was intoxicated on the night having consumed eight cans and five pints.

“It’s a very unfortunate incident, he is ashamed and embarrassed,” the solicitor told the court.

Mr Kiely added that his client is no longer in a relationship with the woman’s daughter.

Mr Kiely submitted that what happened occurred in a “moment of stupidity” and that he has not come to the attention of gardai since the incident.

The 23-year-old, the court heard, has six previous convictions and was previously ordered to carry out community service having been convicted in relation to a separate assault incident.

Imposing sentence, Judge Larkin described what happened as appalling and she commented that the defendant has not shown any remorse.

“What kind of person would strike an elderly woman in the mouth and knock her over?” she asked at which point the accused man interjected while standing in the public gallery.

Addressing the judge he insisted he had not punched the woman stating that she had fallen over when he pushed her.

Referring to the contents of the victim impact statement, the judge noted that a lot of damage was inflicted and that the incident had caused the victim a lot of hurt and upset.

She also commented that she was not impressed with the defendant’s attempt to justify his actions on the night.

Leave to appeal the severity of the sentence was granted.