Man put in coma by unprovoked assault

The family of a Co Cork financial adviser was told he might never come out of a coma and, if he did, might remain in a vegetative state for the rest of his life as a result of an unprovoked assault when out socialising with his girlfriend, a court heard.

Tomas Twomey, aged 27, of Old Cork Road, Mallow, sustained multiple brain injuries and a fractured skull when he was subjected to a flurry of blows in an unprovoked attack outside a fast food outlet in Newcastle West.

Alan O’Sullivan, aged 21, a student at Limerick Institute of Technology and Eddie Shine, aged 22, an apprentice aircraft mechanic in Shannon, both of Ballyine, Old Mill, Newcastle West, pleaded guilty yesterday at Limerick Circuit Court to assault causing serious harm to Mr Twomey.