Mary Lou McDonald has criticised the “lenient” sentence handed down this week to republican garda killer Pearse McAuley for attacking his wife.

A woman who was beaten, stabbed and falsely imprisoned in the family home by her then husband has pleaded with other victims of domestic abuse to stand up for themselves.

Garda killer Pearse McAuley has been jailed for eight years for beating and stabbing his estranged wife during a two-and-a-half-hour attack last Christmas Eve.

Garda killer Pearse McAuley has arrived at Cavan Circuit Court where he will soon be sentenced for attacking his estranged wife last Christmas.

Garda killer Pearse McAuley will be sentenced today for stabbing his wife 13 times in front of their two young sons last Christmas Eve.