Jail for man who broke bat on wife’s head
“What caused you to stop was that you woke up to the fact that she might lose an eye as a result of this attack … Your previous occupation as a prison officer makes it difficult going to prison, I am conscious of that but you must suffer the consequences of this appalling act. I know it is going to cause difficulties for the prison officers looking after you but they will have to deal with that,” Judge Patrick J Moran said to the accused, Paul Morris.
Morris, 50, beat his wife Teresa Morris so hard about the head with the junior baseball bat it broke in two.
The court previously heard that the relationship between the couple was described as fractious prior to the morning of the attack in January 2010.
The defendant’s senior counsel Tom Creed said the defendant had an alcohol dependency but stopped drinking in 2007 and developed an obsession about his wife’s drinking. On the morning in question he became fixated about a cigarette lighter in the kitchen that bore the logo of the Carry-Out off-licence believing that his wife had been to the premises.
Paul Morris told Garda Orla Kenneally how he felt himself breaking down at that moment and going to get the bat under the stairs.
Garda Kenneally said: “His wife had her back to him. He hit her with great force. He wanted to kill her. After two or three times the bat broke, he then hit his wife with his fists and the broken bat and he kicked her and he put up his hands to strangle her.”
Morris ceased the attack and went out to the hall to phone for an ambulance and heard his wife climbing out the sitting room window. She called on her neighbour’s door. Her neighbour closed the door immediately, not recognising who it was, and only opened it again when she heard Ms Morris saying, “It’s me, Teresa.”
Garda Kenneally said the victim had facial and skull fractures and has since had reconstructive surgery on her scalp and will have to have more surgery.
Morris had previously pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning her and causing her serious harm and was sentenced yesterday to eight years with the last two years suspended at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
The victim now fears Morris of whom she said, “He has shown no remorse. This exacerbated my state of fear. I totally believed I was going to die. I can still hear his voice that this was going to happen.”
Judge Moran said he did not know if the defendant had remorse or not. Morris did not give any evidence at his sentencing hearing. Mr Creed said the remorse could be “inferred” from the plea of guilty and from his resignation from the Prison Service which would have beneficial effects for his family in terms of pension and related financial matters.
Judge Moran, said: “Last week I had the benefit of hearing your wife. I thought she was a very brave lady to sit in the witness box to recount what happened and tell me of her fears and her anxieties.
“I am sure the last thing she thought that morning was that she was going to be savagely attacked. She suffered very serious injuries.”
The defendant’s sister, Linda Morris, testified on her brother’s behalf yesterday and said the Morris family was devastated about what had been done to Teresa Morris. She said the defendant had been the best and most supportive brother for her and she said he was devastated and ashamed over what he had done.
“In my opinion he lost his mind that day. He is a shadow of his former self,” Linda Morris said.
The injured party, Teresa Morris, said last week, “To know someone planned and was prepared to take your life is a very difficult thing to live with. It is horrific and robs you of your sense of security... I am afraid to go to sleep.
“I have no wish to ever have any contact with Paul Morris in the future.”
