Meath family's heartache after man with severe mental health issues assaulted his sister

Trim Court heard how a family has been torn apart after a Meath man with severe mental health issues assaulted his sister in her own home.

This relates to a 44 year old man in Trim Circuit Court charged with assault with intent to cause bodily harm.

The court heard on 15th November last year the accused arrived at the family home with his uncle. There was a dispute over the care of the accused and the mental health difficulties he was having at the time. Shortly after this he walked to the rear of the house to a self-contained apartment his sister resided in. He entered the apartment and paced up and down her bedroom while she was there, saying “you are going to be the one that has to care for me”.

The court heard she said she couldn’t before he replied “if you don't look after me I'm going to kill you” before he grabbed her by the neck and attempted to strangle her. He then walked out and was taken away from the home by his uncle.

The next day she reported the incident to Gardaí where she was visibly upset and traumatised. The accused was arrested and made no comment regarding the incident. He later pleaded guilty in the courts and has been in custody since the day of his arrest.

The injured party told the court through a victim impact statement the relationship with her brother changed that evening after he “prayed on my kindness”. She no longer felt safe in her own room and said “it’s like your body screaming at you to run, it’s not safe here”.

When thinking of the accused’s children she said “I still feel responsible as I am the one that sent their dad to prison”. The court heard she has to mourn the loss of her brother as she is cutting all ties with him.

Defending barrister Oisín Clarke told the court this is a distressing chapter in the family’s and it has torn them apart.

The court heard the accused’s father was physically abusive to the entire family before his mother left him and the accused was also extremely bullied during school. This was to the extent where there was litigation against the school which was compromised by the Department of Education. In 2010 he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder with its difficulties kept at bay until the collapse in his marriage. He was then placed into custody on a matter which has not been dealt with in the courts and transferred to hospital. He was discharged from a hospital specialist unit five days before he assaulted his sister.

BL Clarke told the court “he is not a man doing well in custody” and his mental health situation is deteriorating.

“What does one do with someone who is not suited to a custodial environment?” the defending barrister said. The court heard he has expressed remorse and distress over his actions.

Judge John Martin said rehabilitation of a medical nature is needed and “a prison is not a hospital and it should not be used as a hospital".

Judge Martin noted the impact this has had on the accused’s sister and “this is the last place she thought she would find herself”.

“This is your sister, your younger sister, and that is a feature the court can't overlook”.

The judge also took into consideration how the accused was a functioning member of society before his life was blighted by severe mental health difficulties and he would like to think this would not have happened if not for the accused’s mental ill health.

Judge Martin imposed a ten month sentence backdated to when he entered into custody with an additional two months suspended for six months on the basis he makes no contact with his sister and stays away from the premises.

- Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme