Son who admitted to attack on father gets bail

A West Cork man who was remanded in custody for the past few days following his plea of guilty to a charge of carrying out a serious assault on his father in his bedroom was released on bail yesterday.

Neil O’Donovan, 26, of Lyre, Clonakilty, Co Cork, was directed by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin to attend his doctor within the next week and thereafter to attend a psychiatrist.

Neil O’Donovan pleaded guilty earlier in the week to a charge of assault causing serious harm to his father Willie O’Donovan at Teadies Upper, Enniskeane, Co Cork.

Garda Tadhg O’Sullivan said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that after the defendant used his fists to attack his father, Neil O’Donovan then used a hatchet to smash up a bedside locker and other property in the bedroom.

He pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge arising out of that.

Ben Shorten, defence barrister, said: “I have impressed on him the need to engage with his GP and

consultant psychiatrist.”

Prosecution barrister Siobhán Lankford said: “There is no doubt he is in need of psychiatric assistance, whether that is in prison or in the community.”

The judge noted that when Neil O’Donovan was on bail previously, there was no breach of terms of bail.

Mr Shorten BL said the accused was now living with another relative and not at the family home. “His mother is in court to support him,” Mr Shorten said.

The judge said if any of the bail conditions were breached, the case was to be re-entered by gardaí. Sentencing was put back until April 25.

Garda O’Sullivan said the accused went to his parents’ bedroom and assaulted his father, who was hospitalised for two nights. He got three stitches to a head wound.

He sustained a brain injury which caused short-term memory loss and permanently damaged his sense of smell.