Plumber who broke man’s skull avoids prison

A Dublin plumber who broke a man’s skull with a claw hammer after finding him in his former partner’s bed has avoided a jail sentence.

Simon Early of Old Brazil Way, Swords, got a suspended sentence for the attack which left the victim with a 2.7cm fracture in his skull.

Early, aged 27, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to David Griffin at Ashton Rise, Swords, on October 22, 2011.