Army veteran left partially paralysed after samurai sword attack, court told

An army veteran and voluntary worker has been left partially paralysed and almost without speech following an attack by a man who struck him on the head with a samurai sword during a row outside a pub, a court heard.

Liam McCarthy, aged 28, of Church St in Cappawhite, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty at Clonmel Circuit Court to assault causing serious harm to Martin Butler, aged 49, violent disorder and producing an offensive article during an incident.

Mr Butler, a separated father who served two tours of duty in Lebanon while in the army and has since been involved in GAA and other community and voluntary activities in Cappawhite, has been left with paralysis in his right hand and leg. He walks with the aid of a stick and has no speech apart from a vocabulary of four words: Yes, no, fine, and bye.