Ten-year prison sentence for machete attack in Limerick town

A PROMINENT member of the Travelling community who ‘chopped” at an elderly man, with a machete has been jailed for ten years.

John O’Donoghue, aged 53, who has an address at Park House, Main Street, Rathkeale had denied several charges relating to a violent incident in the town four years ago.

However, he was found guilty by a jury of causing serious harm to William O’Driscoll following a week-long trial which took place in early November.

During a sentencing hearing, before Christmas, Detective Sergeant Mike Reidy said there was “a history” between the pair as Mr O’Donoghue is married to Mr O’Driscoll’s niece.

He said the then 74-year-old victim had returned to Rathkeale a number of days earlier, for the first time in 17 years, to attend a “family occasion” and gathering.

He said Mr O’Driscoll was viciously attacked as he crossed the road on the morning of December 16, 2017.

Detective Sergeant Reidy told Lily Buckley BL, instructed by State solicitor Aidan Judge, that two black cars had ‘pulled up’ and that Mr O’Donoghue got out of one of the vehicles.

The defendant, who was previously jailed for assaulting one of Mr O’Driscoll’s sons, produced a machete which was about two and-a-half feet long.

Ms Buckley recounted how the jury was told Mr O’Donoghue, who lives away from Rathkeale for eleven months of the year, had “come for” the pensioner and began swinging the machete.

She told Judge Patrick Meghen that all of the parties were known to each other and that identification was not an issue in the case.

Witnesses described how they saw Mr O’Donoghue making a “chopping motion” as he repeatedly struck Mr O’Driscoll after he was knocked to the ground.

The pensioner sustained serious injuries in the attack including a skull fracture and several lacerations to his nose, face and forearm.

A medical report, prepared for the court, confirmed the injuries inflicted were serious and that the victim could have died had he suffered a brain bleed following the assault.

He sustained permanent scarring as a result of the incident and, in a victim impact statement, described how people he knows are still “unsettled” when they see him. “l live with the visible scars and mental trauma” he wrote.

During the sentencing hearing, which lasted for nearly two hours, Detective Sergeant Reidy described how several other individuals had prevented relatives of Mr O’Driscoll coming to his aid while he was being attacked.

While there was evidence during the trial that Mr O’Donoghue had made threats during the altercation, he was found not guilty of that charge by the jury.

In his submission to the court, Michael Bowman SC, defending, said his client – the eldest of 11 siblings – runs a successful business abroad and that he had helped gardai during Christmas 2020 to encourage younger members of the Travelling community to abide by the Covid regulations which were in place at the time.

“He made arrangements to speak with locals,” he stated as he submitted more than a dozen testimonials and references to the court for its consideration.

In relation to the medical report, Mr Bowman suggested the victim’s life was never actually at risk as he did not lose consciousness or suffer any internal bleeding.

“His wounds were stitched and sutured, he was released (from hospital) on painkiller medication,” he commented.

The barrister also disagreed with the DPP’s view that the offence was at the “upper end of the scale” suggesting it was a “bit lower.”

Seeking leniency, he asked Judge Meghen to note his client’s personal circumstances including that he is “functionally illiterate” and that his daughter was due to give birth to her first child over Christmas.

Imposing sentence, the judge said he was satisfied the assault was premeditated and unprovoked and in the upper range of the scale.

“He acted in concert with three others, it is clear he was the ringleader,” he commented.

The judge  noted Mr O’Donoghue had not expressed any remorse and he said his previous convictions were an aggravating factor.

In the circumstances, he said he was not willing to suspend any portion of the ten-year sentence.