Dublin burglar assaulted partially paralysed woman

A woman has been remanded in custody after a jury convicted her of assaulting a partially paralysed woman with a wine bottle.

Grace Tormey, aged 22, of Parnell St, Sallynoggin, Dublin, pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to aggravated burglary at Rollins Villas, Sallynoggin, on November 16, 2012.

The victim, Lisa Lee, had previously suffered a stroke and was partially paralysed. She told Gerardine Small, BL, prosecuting, that she awoke to hear people banging on her front door.

She and her then partner, Jason Kelly, barricaded themselves into an upstairs bedroom while Tormey and another man smashed their way into her home.

Mr Kelly jumped out a window to get help and Ms Lee was unable to hold the door. Her attackers got into the bedroom and started kicking and punching her.

She said someone pulled out a knife and that Tormey smashed a bottle over the back of her head. She said during the assault, Tormey kicked, punched, and pulled lumps out of her hair.

When gardaí arrived at the house they found Tormey “apparently attending” to Ms Lee’s facial wounds. Tormey claimed to gardaí that she had been walking past the house, saw the front door damaged and had come inside to help Ms Lee.

The victim told gardaí that no burglary had taken place and they were not needed. Det Garda Darragh Phelan testified he visited the victim in hospital the next day to see if she would make a statement about the assault. She did and gardaí later arrested Tormey. Det Gda Phelan said the victim had injuries to her face and legs.

After a four-day trial, a jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty. Judge Patricia Ryan thanked the jurors for their time and care.

She refused a defence application to allow Tormey to stay on bail and remanded her in custody until a sentence hearing next week.