Judge: Assault had near-catastrophic effect on victim

Two men were jailed for eight years yesterday for their part in a horrific assault on a man who sustained life-changing injuries less than 100m from his home in Cork City.

Judge David Riordan said the deterrence of others who might be inclined to carry out assaults in the city was one of the factors taken into consideration in yesterday’s sentencing of Bill O’Driscoll, of 149 Ballyhooley Rd, Cork, and Damien Fitzgerald, of 62 Inniscarra Rd, Fairhill, Cork.

Both men had denied charges of intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Karol O’Keefe at the Quarry steps, Windsor Cottages, St Luke’s, Cork, and robbing him of a mobile phone on November 25, 2013.

Detective Sergeant Vincent O’Sullivan said the victim had been out socialising with friends and was not drunk but a little merry and in good humour. He was walking alone on the quarry steps less than 100m from home when he was attacked.

“Gardaí found him in a helpless condition covered in blood in a bad way, unable to get up,” Det Sgt O’Sullivan said. “He was missing his scarf and jacket, his pockets had been emptied. He was lying on the ground pawing the wall with his bloodstained hand, the victim of a horrific assault.”

Mr O’Keefe said: “Since the crime was committed, I have suffered a lot of physical and mental damage. I suffer a lot from depression and feel I am always looking over my shoulder.

“I am unable to work as a plumber as I have lost my sense of smell [and cannot smell gas]. I feel constant fatigue and tiredness. I have lost confidence and am unable to drive. Plumbing is the only qualification I have.”

Judge David Riordan said that the assault had had a near-catastrophic effect on Mr O’Keefe. The two accused were found guilty more than a month ago and remanded in custody for sentencing yesterday.

A man who was previously convicted of the same assault and robbery — Mark O’Driscoll, aged 26, of 7 Inse Alainn, Skibbereen, Co Cork — testified during the trial that he got a nine-year jail sentence with the last two years suspended for the crime and he insisted that he acted alone on the night. He is no relation of Bill O’Driscoll.

Bill O’Driscoll did not give evidence but Damien Fitzgerald did. He claimed that he and Bill O’Driscoll tried to stop Mark O’Driscoll assaulting the victim. However, the judge did not accept this version of events.