Man jailed for 'nasty and brutal' assault in Cork; victim had extensive facial damage 

Brutal and nasty injuries were inflicted on a woman in Midleton on New Year’s Eve by a man wearing a sovereign ring who punched her repeatedly in the face and broke a bottle over her head.

Judge Sarah Berkeley jailed Limerick man Raymond Constable for two and a half years for the offence of assault causing harm.

Garda Cormac Ryan said that Constable spat into the faces of three members of An Garda Síochána who dealt with him on the night.

Judge Berkeley viewed photographs of the injured party taken soon after the assault and she also took into consideration a victim impact statement presented to the court.

“The harm done to her is inexplicable. He had addiction issues and he does not recall what he did. They are very nasty injuries from the photographs – it is brutal in fact and beyond comprehension and he has a violent history of offending,” Judge Berkeley said.

A sentence of four years was imposed on Raymond Constable with the last 18 months suspended.

Garda Ryan said the accused and the injured party had been in a relationship for a very short period – three or four weeks – when this violent attack was carried out.

It occurred late on December 31 2020. Gardaí received a call at 11.30 p.m. from a friend of the injured party. The injured woman herself could be heard in the background of the phone call shouting for her help as her friend spoke to gardaí.

The guards arrived at the house and there was no answer when they called to the door. They could hear a woman’s voice shouting out to them, “Kick the door in.” Eventually, the door was opened and the injured party ran out to the gardaí. She was in a very distressed state and the physical injuries to her face were clearly visible.

She was taken to Cork University Hospital where she described being hit over the head with a glass beer bottle which broke.

Raymond Constable punched her with a closed fist into the face and punched her several times. He was wearing a gold sovereign ring which cased a lot of damage to the victim’s face, Garda Ryan said.

“18 months later she is still in fear from what happened on the night,” Garda Ryan testified.

The witness said the accused was very aggressive with gardaí and spat into their faces when arrested.

The 35-year-old form Limerick has 162 previous convictions including one for false imprisonment for which he was given a four-year jail term. He has eight convictions for assault.

Defence barrister, Brendan Kelly, said, “Addiction has been a problem for him. For the majority of his life he has had addiction difficulties. He does have a number of convictions under the Misuse of Drugs Act. He was intoxicated on alcohol on the night. Diazepam has been a significant problem for him.

“He was the victim of a serious assault himself some years ago where he was stabbed in the face and has scars from this.” Judge Berkeley noted from a prison governor’s report that was requested for the sentencing hearing that he was found to be under the influence of an intoxicant in prison and has had two p19s – disciplinary issues.

Mr Kelly BL said, “He wishes to apologise to all concerned. His offending was egregious – the way he dealt with the main complainant and members of An Garda Síochána by spitting at them – all he can do is apologise.” Raymond Constable was living at Kearney’s Cottage, Chapel Street, Cloyne, County Cork, and admitted assault causing harm to the woman, as well as assaulting Garda Tomás Ryan, Garda Killian Barry and Sergeant Anna Lane.