Cork man gets eight years' jail after attacking wife with boiling water and claw hammer

A 59-year-old woman had boiling water poured over her head and was struck over the head with a claw hammer by her husband – and today he was jailed for eight years.

64-year-old Noel Twomey of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing serious harm to his wife, Jackie Twomey, and production of a claw hammer on January 14 2024.

“There is no evidence that what he did on the night had anything to do with a psychiatric condition,” Judge Dermot Sheehan said as he imposed a sentence of nine years with the last year suspended. 

One condition of the suspension of the last year is that he would stay away from the injured party for 12 years from today and have no contact direct or indirect with her. The sentence is backdated to January 2024 when he went into custody.

“Having regard to the level of premeditation, some effort was made to boil the water. He went upstairs at 3am where his wife was sleeping. He brought a claw hammer. The victim was defenceless. She was asleep in her own home.

“She was married to the accused. There is implicit in that that you can be trusted not to attack your wife. Society takes a particular view of that. Simply because it happens in the context of a relationship is an aggravating factor.

“A headline sentence of 12 years is appropriate. There are mitigating factors. The principle mitigating factor is that he went to the guards and explained what he had done. He followed that with a plea of guilty,” the judge said.

When the defendant, who wore a hearing device supplied by the court, had to enter the bond in respect of the suspended one year of the sentence, he said: “12 years? It is my first time in court. I am hard of hearing. I had a domestic with my wife. That is all I had.” Detective Garda Mick Dolan said of the victim: “She does suffer from trauma as a result.” 

The Director of Public Prosecutions put the case at the higher end of the 10 to 15-year category of serious assault offences, prosecution barrister Katherine McGillicuddy said.

Defence senior counsel Seamus Roche said that the defence required a psychiatric report, but that none was available despite numerous adjournments for that purpose. He said that he was confined to a cell on his own in Cork prison because he could not be left with other prisoners because of the manner in which he conducts himself.

Noel Twomey wrote a letter from prison: “I would like to apologise to the court and my wife for what happened. It is hard for a man my age to be away from my family. It is scary (in prison) and I hope I don’t end my days there. I am deeply remorseful for my actions. I truly regret what I did. I will never hurt any person again.” 

The victim said at an earlier hearing: “My name is Jackie Twomey and on the 15th January 2024 my life changed forever. That night when I was in bed asleep my husband of 40 years came to my bedroom and brutally assaulted me. He had boiling water and a claw hammer with him and attacked me with both. 

"It was beyond cruel and evil what he did to me. He poured the boiling water on me and hit me a number of times over the head with the hammer. He didn't seem to care about the damage he was doing to me. I thought I was going to die, I remember the pain and screaming. I couldn't believe what was happening. 

"I was in CUH for six days and needed a lot of follow-up care. That was the physical side. The psychological trauma is worse. I don't think I will ever be the same person as I was before that night.

"I fear going to bed and I fear just sleeping. The nightmares return every night, the pain and memories are there all the time but worse at night. It’s hard to put in words how my life has changed and the anxiety and terror that have become part of my life. I should have been safe asleep in my own bed.

“I have a very supportive family and friends who are 100% behind me. I hope I get peace some day and can be happy but that possibility seems far away. I need that evil man to be gone for good. 

"I want to thank the gardaí, the paramedics, the staff at the CUH and my own doctor. I never thought I would be in a courtroom reading a victim impact statement. I never thought my life would change so much or that I would be living with ongoing physical and psychological pain. 

"I could write about what the days were like after the attack trying to recover, but it’s still the fear inside me now that's taking over at night. I do hope I get peace sometime in the future.”

Det Garda Mick Dolan said the accused man was seen near his home soaked in his wife’s blood and carrying a bloodstained hammer at 5am on Monday January 15 2024 at Bakers Road, Gurranabraher, Cork. 

The detective said that after being out socialising with family members, the injured party returned home and went to bed. Noel Twomey was at home that night and awake when his wife returned, and he watched her on CCTV as she approached the house.

Det Garda Dolan said: “When the water was boiling he took the pot and the hammer and paced the flat for some time before entering the bedroom. He proceeded to pour the boiling water on his wife before striking her over the head with the hammer a number of times. He expressed surprise that she was able to jump up and leave the property.”