Cork man on trial on charges of assaulting two brothers at home in West Cork

A Dunmanway man denied assault causing serious harm to his two brothers at the family home in West Cork in 2024 as a trial by judge and jury commenced today.

32-year-old William Brennan, of Longbridge, Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway, County Cork, was arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and pleaded not guilty to charges of assault causing serious harm to John Brennan and Jeremiah Brennan (junior) at the family home, both charges brought under Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. William Brennan also denied a charge of producing a knife in the course of a dispute, all charges related to the date of August 17 2024.

Prosecution barrister Imelda Kelly gave Judge Helen Boyle and the jury of eight men and four women an outline of the anticipated evidence in the case but stressed that this outline was not itself evidence.

“It is common case that this relates to a family. The accused is William Brennan and this relates to a family dispute in respect of a property at Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway.

“The alleged incident concerns August 17 2024. Gardaí were called to that scene where there was a report an alleged stabbing.

“It is common case that the property had been in ownership of Jeremiah Brennan (senior) and it had been signed over to the three brothers a number of years before. The yard was in common ownership between the brothers.

“Ultimately, on August 17 2024 gardaí were alerted to an incident occurring and an allegation of alleged stabbing of John and Jeremiah (junior), also known as Jerry – the injured parties.

“It is common case that they did suffer injuries: John sustained a puncture wound to his chest and there was blood and air outside the lung; In relation to Jerry the injury was to his left arm – the main artery in that arm was damaged and there was nerve damage to the ulnar nerve which was completely divided and the median nerve which was partially divided.

“(It is alleged) William Brennan, in the course of a dispute, produced a knife and caused injuries to the two brothers… John and Jerry were taken by a good Samaritan to Dunmanway Community Hospital initially… John later taken by helicopter to CUH and Jerry by road ambulance to CUH,” Ms Kelly said.

The trial continues on Friday May 1.