Two sisters who clubbed a man around the head with pieces of furniture and left him lying semiconscious in a pool of blood were lucky they were not facing manslaughter charges, a judge said yesterday as he jailed them for assault causing harm.
Judge A.G. Murphy made his comments as he sentenced Kathleen Maughan (30) to 2 1/2 years and her sister, Margaret (22) to two years in jail for assaulting Mr Jim O'Sullivan at Westbury Estate, Wilton, Cork, on July 4th. The sisters initially denied charges of assault and criminal damage to Mr O'Sullivan's home, but changed their plea to guilty yesterday on the third day of their trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr Sean O Donnabhain, prosecuting, said Mr O'Sullivan had been in Cork city and picked up the two women in his car and brought them to his house. All three had drink taken, he said.
An argument developed and the two women assaulted Mr O'Sullivan and he was found lying semi-conscious with his head in a pool of blood by neighbours, Mr O Donnabhain said.
He said Mr O'Sullivan had done nothing to warrant such an assault.
Sgt Tim Murphy told the court gardai were satisfied there was no truth in allegations by the two Maughans that Mr O'Sullivan attempted to sexually assault Margaret Maughan. The court was told the Maughans were Travellers and had lived with their alcoholic mother in London for the past eight years. They had been sent out to beg at an early age by their mother. Judge Murphy said a deprived background did not excuse their behaviour.
They had not pleaded guilty until three days into the case and Mr O'Sullivan had been forced to go into the witness box.
He noted that both women had been drinking and had taken drugs and they broke up pieces of furniture and used it to beat Mr O'Sullivan. "It is only luck that they are not here for manslaughter," he said. He refused to set a review date.