Macroom man to appeal eight year sentence next month

A MACROOM man who was handed down an eight years for seriously assaulting his wife will appeal his conviction next month.

Anthony Kelleher (42), with a last address at Raleigh North, Macroom, Co Cork, had pleaded not guilty to assault causing serious harm to his wife Siobhán at their home in Macroom on June 12, 2014.

He was unanimously found guilty by a jury of nine men and three women at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and jailed for eight years by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin last month.

Mr Kelleher had sought bail this week, pending an appeal.

State solicitor Patrick Geraghty told the three-judge court that his side had not received any paperwork grounding reasons why he should be given bail.

Mr Justice George Birmingham said the court could not force his bail application to go ahead if the State could not respond.

He said the threshold required for bail would be difficult to meet but an early date was available on July 29 next.

Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, directed that the preparation of trial transcripts be expedited and he listed the matter for mention on June 24 next to confirm July’s hearing date.

Ms Kelleher had not given evidence against the then accused during his Cork Circuit Criminal Court trial in February but statements she had previously made to gardaí were admitted into evidence by the judge under a legal procedure known as section 16.