A prisoner was released from Cork prison on compassionate grounds to attend his mother’s funeral but he never went to the ceremony and instead visited his partner and got intoxicated – turning up to frighten his father later in the night. That was the account of the incident given at an in camera hearing of Cork District Court by Sergeant Gearóid Davis.

Judge Olann Kelleher has convicted the accused of breaching a safety order by putting his father in fear, and on another occasion punching him in the face and breaking his nose. The judge imposed sentences totalling 16 months on the accused who is aged around 30. The parties cannot be identified as the charges include breaches under the Domestic Violence Act.

“The accused was on temporary release from prison. He was released to attend his mother’s funeral. Having been released he failed to attend. He turned up later at his father’s house. He forced in the side door and his father was put in fear,” Sgt Davis said. 

The sergeant added that when the defendant’s father arrived home from his late wife’s funeral his son was waiting in the house and became physically and verbally abusive. “He was chased by him as his son shouted obscenities at him,” Sgt Davis said.

Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said the defendant intended to go to his mother’s funeral when he was released from prison but first went to his partner’s home. He became intoxicated and failed to attend his mother’s funeral. Mr Burke said the defendant’s father referred to his son’s alcohol and drug-taking which went on throughout his life.

Judge Kelleher said: “He was allowed out of prison on compassionate grounds for his mother’s funeral. And to everyone’s disappointment - due to his intoxication – he never went to the funeral. 

"His father found him back in the house. It must have been difficult for the father – as he said in his victim impact statement. A man who was trying to raise him and he viciously attacked him.” 

The assault occurred when he punched his father directly into the face with a single blow. It followed a dispute when the injured party refused to give his son money. The accused pleaded guilty to these offences and to a number of other charges, including a number of shoplifting offences. He twice stole a bottle of Graham Norton gin from a supermarket. He had numerous previous convictions. One sentence of ten months and another consecutive sentence of six months were imposed on the accused.