Jury fails to agree verdict over boiling water assault claim

A pregnant woman watching Eastenders had a kettle of boiling water and sugar poured over her leg by her boyfriend, she told a jury, but he said it was a small amount of water that accidentally fell and blamed a slope in the room.

A jury deliberated for over four and a half hours and could not agree a verdict.

Judge Gerard O’Brien thanked the jurors and directed the jury foreman to record a disagreement on the single charge of assault at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The case was then adjourned until May 31 for listing for a possible retrial.

The complainant also said he threatened if she cheated on him, he would kill her and bury her in the woods.

Michael Lynch, aged 24, denies threatening to kill Tara Byrd, 25, and assault causing harm to her on July 21, 2015, at 184 Old Youghal Road, Cork .

Ms Byrd testified, “He said he was going to boil a kettle of water with sugar in it and pour the sugar water on me. He put the sugar in the kettle and boiled it.

“He said if I screamed, he would hit me over the head with an iron bar.

“I was wearing pyjama pants. He threw the kettle over my left leg [from top of foot to below knee]. I was in agony. I did not scream. I was shaking with agony.

“He put a white T-shirt over my leg and he started pouring constant cold water and ice over my leg.

“I told Michael I needed to go to hospital. He said there is nothing they can do that I’m already doing. I was there all night in that constant… in agony all night.

“He told me if he found me cheating he would kill me and bury me in the woods. I believed him because of what he was after doing to me.”

Gareth Fleming, defending, said the complainant admitted saying on her admission to hospital it happened accidentally. She said she told these lies because she was in fear of Mr Lynch, and that he had also told her that he would damage the homes of her friends and family.

Mr Lynch opted not to give any evidence. He said about half a cup of boiling water fell on her leg. He said the kettle was on a counter top and there was “a bit of a slope in the room”.