‘A VIOLENT AND SAVAGE BEATING’

FIVE AND A HALF YEARS IN JAIL FOR MAN WHO VICIOUSLY BEAT PARTNER

A KILLARNEY man who savagely beat the mother of his child with a brush while looking for drugs has been jailed for five and half years at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court.

Aidan Cahill (29) of 5 Grosnover Court High Street, Killarney appeared before Judge Tom O’Donnell on Thursday having previously pleaded guilty to assaulting his then partner in her apartment December 16, 2017.

The court heard that Mr Cahill and his victim had “an extremely volatile relationship” and on the day of the assault Cahill - who was prone to “violence and controlling rage” arrived at the apartment looking for drugs.

When a neighbour arrived at the apartment to deliver a Christmas card they heard screaming. The person managed to get into the apartment where they found Aidan Cahill assaulting the partially dressed woman with a brush handle.

She had suffered “very serious facial injuries” and parts of the apartment were “covered in blood,”.

Delivering his verdict Judge Tom O’Donnell said that gardaí who attended the scene had been “horrified” by the level of the woman’s injuries.

“She suffered severe facial distortion in what was a most violent and savage beating,” said Judge O’Donnell.

Judge O’Donnell added that the pictures of the woman’s injuries were “extremely frightening”. “There is absolutely no excuse for the level of violence meted out to the victim,” he said.

Judge O’Donnell imposed a seven and half year sentence and suspended the final two years for a further seven and a half years during which time Cahill is barred from having any contact with his victim.