A FORMER Tipperary hurler who was brutally beaten in Cork after travelling for a medical appointment at CUH is asking for his assailant’s sentence to be reviewed.

Seamus Troy, who won All-Ireland minor and under-21 hurling medals with his native Tipperary in 1989 and 1991, has said the seven-year sentence with two years suspended handed down to Adam Sheehan last month is too lenient.

Adam Sheehan, of 113 Seamus Murphy place, Mallow, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to beating Mr Troy across the head and neck with one of his own crutches.

In his victim impact statement in last month’s trial, Mr Troy said: “He just kept hitting me. I could feel the blood running down my head and face. My whole life flashed before my eyes.”

Speaking with PJ Coogan on 96fm’s Opinion Line, Mr Troy described how his own children failed to recognise him when they visited him in hospital after the assault.

The former hurler was unable to open his eyes for six weeks and three of his teeth were broken.

Mr Troy said if it was not for the intervention of a passer-by, he thinks he might have been killed.

The 47-year-old father of four still struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and only leaves his home for medical appointments. He also still needs to use crutches.

Mr Troy is calling for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to re-examine the case.

“He had 20 previous convictions and there was a warrant out for his arrest when he assaulted me, and when the guards found him, he had my blood on his pants and he had the crutch and he was swinging it.

“I’ve contacted the gardaí, I’ve contacted the DPP, and they are not bringing the case back into court, I don’t know why, the sentence was lenient.”

Speaking on the radio programme, Mr Troy asked what would happen when Mr Sheehan is released from prison.

“And when he gets out, who is the next victim? That’s what I’m looking at. I just think the justice system is brutal, absolutely, so I just can’t understand it.”