MAN LEFT WITH PERMANENT EYE DAMAGE FOLLOWING ASSAULT

A BUNCLODY man who suffered an assault told Wexford Circuit Criminal Court in a victim impact statement that he has reduced vision in one eye as a result of the incident.

Alan Sunderland said in his statement he suffered a chordial tear in his right eye from a punch, and that there is no treatment or surgery available to repair it.

His statement was read to the court when Mylie Connors, of 3 Termonbarry, Bunclody, pleaded guilty to assaulting Sunderland at Termonbarry Bunclody in September 2016.

In his victim impact statement, Sunderland said: ‘While the incident and injury affected my mental state for a ling time, I refused to seek psychiatric treatment.

‘(The assault) has had a massive affect on the vision of my right eye, and also my depth perception of all objects, which affected my former occupation of tiling and all other skilled jobs.

‘I had to make a decision to change profession and have just completed a course. I rely on social welfare for income.

‘Since the incident, the major change in my life has been the break-up of my marriage with Caroline, and I no long live with my four children. Myself and Caroline agreed that the resulting mental and physical strain was the final nail in the coffin for our marriage.

Investigating Garda Diarmuid Burke told Judge Cormac Quinn at the sentencing hearing that the defendant had pleaded gulty to assault causing harm at a previous sitting.

Garda Burke said the parties lived next door to each other. On the date in question, Alan Sunderland made his way to the defendant’s house sometime after 1.00am to complain about loud noise.

The injured party, said Garda Burke, knocked on the door, but when the defendant opened the door he hit Mr Sunderland a number of blows resulting in an injury to his eye. As a result of this, Mr. Sunderland went to his GP and later attended Waterford Regional Hospital.

Garda Burke told the court that when the defendant was arrested he was fully co-operative and made a full admission. The defendant, he said, is a married man with children. He has previous convictions all related to road traffic matters.

Defence Counsel Joh Peart said the 26-year-old defendant is married with three children and plays GAA in Kilkenny. He has acknowledged his wrong and is now attending the Cornmarket Alcohol Awareness Programme in Enniscorthy. He regrets seriously that he allowed this to happen and has taken steps so that it will never happen again.

Judge Quinn imposed a two-year prison sentence, but in view of the regime he is under, he suspended the sentence in its entirety to allow him to continue with his rehabilitation.