Corkman jailed for violent assault with hatchet

A MAN who attacked another man with a hatchet, which left his victim with a fractured skull, blamed his actions on a misguided sense of chivalry.

The 39-year-old man forced his way into the victim’s home and attacked him using both the blunt and sharp sides of a hatchet, causing him multiple facial fractures, broken teeth, and a fractured skull. 

At the sentencing hearing, the defendant’s lawyer claimed that the attacker was acting from a misguided sense of chivalry because his girlfriend had a grievance with the victim.

Detective Sergeant Liam Finn said David Long pleaded guilty to burglary and assault causing harm to the man in his 50s, and production of a hatchet during the attack.

Judge Colin Daly imposed a six-year jail term, with the last year suspended, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The injured party opened the door of his apartment on the Middle Glanmire Rd, Cork, to a call from his cousin, Linda O’Keeffe, at 7.30pm on January 18, 2022.

After about an hour, Long called at the door of the apartment. He had a scarf over his face and his hood was pulled up. He was carrying a plastic bag with a hatchet inside.

David Long forced his way past the injured party, who pulled Mr Long’s scarf down and identified him. He disarmed him, but Linda O’Flynn — the victim’s cousin and Long’s then-girlfriend — picked up the hatchet. When the victim got the hatchet from her also, Long picked it up again. He struck the injured party a considerable number of times with both sides of the hatchet in an attack that went on for 10-15 minutes.

“David Long was later arrested for aggravated burglary,” said Det Sgt Finn.

“He was detained and his apartment at Leitrim St was searched and a number of items seized.

“Clothing covered in blood was found in the washing machine.

“When Long was interviewed on five occasions, he made absolutely no admissions. The case was ultimately listed for trial.

“It was only when the case was ready to proceed with the victim and another witness present in court that David Long indicated that he would plead guilty to charges against him.”

WEAPON

Prosecution barrister Donal O’Sullivan said it was clearly a targeted burglary, and indeed a targeted attack, and that Long armed himself with a particularly nasty weapon.

Defence senior counsel, Ray Boland, referred to Ms O’Flynn, 30, of no fixed address, previously getting a sentence of three years with the last six months suspended at Cork Circuit Criminal Court for her part in the assault causing harm to her cousin, and for having the hatchet at the time.

“She was using Mr Long as a pawn,” said Mr Boland.

“He acted on her behalf with no gain for himself. It has to be said he engaged fully in this assault. But this was her plan, as it were. Mr Long is a 39-year-old man with five children. He has a good history, working construction. He plans to stay clean. He has engaged fully with the Probation Service in prison.

“He has a huge number of certificates from Portlaoise Prison… [including] an anger management course and a workshop in alternatives to violence. He has a steady family support when he gets out.”

He Judge Colin Daly said: “The accused was in concert with his girlfriend at the time. He pushed his way in and assaulted the victim with a hatchet. The enterprise was to take certain items from the apartment.

“CCTV showed them leaving the apartment complex. Considering the gravity of the offence, the burglary is the most serious charge. He intentionally went in to the victim’s home with a hatchet. He carried out an extremely vicious assault on the victim with a potentially lethal weapon.

“I have to consider the harm done to the victim to be high. The overall gravity of the offence falls in the upper end of the scale.

“Various aggravating factors [included the fact that] he knew the victim would be present, the accused intended harm to the victim, his dwelling was targeted, the accused attended to the burglary with a very serious potentially lethal weapon, and he was previously sentenced for robbery and aggravated burglary.

“He did not co-operate with the investigation or express remorse. He is using his time in custody well. There will have to be some allowance for mitigation.”

The judge imposed a sentence of six years in prison with the final year suspended.