Woman attacked with a hammer while sleeping
The woman, who it is believed turned 32 yesterday, was asleep at the house on Ladyswell Road in Mulhuddart near Blanchardstown in west Dublin when she was attacked.
The mother-of-one sustained serious injuries in the assault and was rushed to nearby James Connolly Memorial Hospital for treatment.
It is understood the family are from eastern Europe and that her husband first made a 999 call at about 10am stating that he had hit his wife on the head with a hammer.
It is understood he subsequently gave himself up to gardaí at Blanchardstown Garda Station.
A 39-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident and was being held last night in Blanchardstown Station under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. He can be held for up to 24 hours.
Gardaí are understood not to be looking for anyone else in connection with the assault.
It is believed the family had been living at the address on Ladyswell Road for the past year and a half and that they had not previously come to the attention of neighbours.
Some people living nearby were upset yesterday as the area was cordoned off for an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.
One person in the area said they understood that another couple had been staying in the house at the time of the incident. The injured woman is mother to a three-year-old boy.
The injured woman was found in bed upstairs at the house. She sustained serious head injuries and it is believed she was attacked while sleeping.
Local Count Councillor Ruth Coppinger of the Socialist Party said she did not know the family, but stressed the need for greater resources to deal with domestic violence in the greater Blanchardstown area.
A Sonas women’s refuge opened in Blanchardstown just three weeks ago after 12 years of planning and a spokesperson for the centre yesterday said since opening all eight of its self-contained units had been filled on a number of days.
