Victim, 61, never recovered from savage assault

Such was the savage nature of an assault on a 61-year-old Limerick man, as he walked home late at night, he died 18 months later having never recovered from brain injuries which necessitated him getting 24-hour care, a court heard.

Some months after carryinig out the attack on Thomas Ryan, and while out on bail, Patrick Phelan, aged 24, of Galvone Road, Kennedy Park, Limerick burgled the home of another older man who lived alone and terrorised him.

Phelen was jailed yesterday for eight years at Limerick Circuit Court for assault causing serious harm to Mr Ryan, on July 10, 2013 and for a burglary carried out on November 2014.