A MONAGHAN man who savagely beat a Mayo man in his home before tying up him at knifepoint, has been given a six-year jail sentence for assault at Castlebar Circuit Court.
After the assault, former funfair worker Mark Duffy (24,) Bree, Castleblayney, stole Joseph Burke’s car from his home in Castlebar and attempted to escape along the N5 Dublin road. He was arrested after members of the Garda Traffic Corps spotted the car being driven in a suspicious manner.
Duffy pleaded guilty to five charges of aggravated burglary, assault, theft and falsely imprisoning Mr Burke at his home on Station Road on March 23rd.
Judge Raymond Groarke was told that Duffy forced his way into his victim’s house and held Mr Burke, a bakery worker and musician, at knifepoint, before tying him up with his own shoelaces.
Sgt Martin Murphy said Duffy first forced his victim into a press underneath a stairs, but later moved him to an upstairs bedroom where he was beaten with a frying pan and ceramic ornament and left with his hands and feet tied.
Before fleeing in his victim’s car, Duffy stole Mr Burke’s bank card and passport. He forced his victim to reveal his PIN number and withdrew €430 from a local ATM.
Gardaí found Mr Burke’s passport during a search of the car Duffy was driving and went to his home to inform him. On arrival they found him in an injured and distressed state and released him.
Judge Groarke was told Duffy had a long history of psychiatric illness and drug abuse and had been sexually abused as a boy. He had made eight suicide attempts.