Cork man poured boiling water on wife as she slept and struck her with claw-hammer

A 63-year-old man accused of causing serious harm to his wife by pouring boiling water on her as she slept and striking her with a claw-hammer confessed to the crime today.

Noel Twomey was arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and he pleaded guilty to each of the three charges against him.

His senior counsel Seamus Roche asked the judge to extend free legal aid for the preparation of a psychiatric report and a GP’s report on the accused in advance of sentencing.

Judge Helen Boyle acceded to that application and adjourned sentencing until February 12 2025. The accused was remanded in continuing custody until then.

As this aspect of the case was being finalised today Mr Twomey spoke up from the dock: “Your honour, can I say something there for a while?” Judge Boyle said: “You can talk to your legal advisers and they will talk to you.” 

He pleaded guilty to production of a claw hammer and two counts of assault causing serious harm to his wife, once by pouring boiling water on her and a second time by striking her with the hammer.

When the case against Noel Twomey of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, Cork, first came before Cork District Court, Detective Garda Brian Murphy testified that the accused man flagged down a garda patrol car while soaked in blood and carrying a bloodstained hammer in a plastic bag at 5am on Monday January 15 at Bakers Road, Gurranabraher, Cork.

Objecting to bail, Det Garda Murphy said: “This is very serious. She went to sleep in the safety of her own bed. Noel Twomey made the very conscious decision to boil a pot of water and retrieve a claw hammer from the tool box… He then entered his bedroom where his wife slept and attacked her in a cowardly fashion as she lay asleep.”