Four years for man who attacked neighbour with hatchet

A former heroin addict who attacked his neighbour with a hatchet because the music at his daughter’s confirmation celebration party was too loud has been given a four year sentence.

Christopher Hill (aged 43) of Oak Green, Royal Oak, Santry, had earlier called Mr Paul Brierton’s wife and other partygoers "scumbags and cunts" and threatened to burn the victim’s house down "with your kids in it".

"You better have your house insurance cause you never know the day," Hill told Ms Brierton and added: "You haven’t heard the end of it, let the games begin."

Hill pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing Mr Brierton harm at his home on February 28, 2004.

Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a four year sentence and suspended the final year. She ordered that €12,000 compensation gathered by Hill as "a practical expression of remorse" be paid over to his victim.

Mr Michael Bowman BL, defending said Hill "unreservedly apologised" for the suffering he caused to the Briertons and described it as "an ugly, unpleasant and deeply disturbing event on an occasion that should have been a celebration".

He added that Hill accepted he acted in manner which he didn’t seek to justify and that his behaviour was totally unreasonable for any threat he perceived himself to be under.

Garda Maria Moran told prosecuting counsel, Ms Roisin Lacey BL, that Mr Brierton was left with a cut to his scalp which required ten stitches. There was no damage caused to his skull but he also had severe bruising around his abdomen.

She said that Hill first called to the Brierton’s home and asked them "to keep it down" because he had children asleep in his house.

When Ms Brierton was outside a couple of hours saying goodbye to partygoers leaving in a taxi, Hill called them all "scumbags" and threatened to burn down the Brierton home.

Gda Moran said Mr Brierton then went to call to Hill’s home but decided to turn away before ringing the doorbell. Two other men from the party had also come out to take Mr Brierton away just when Hill’s partner came to the door and told them to leave her garden.

Mr Brierton told her she should be ashamed of herself "bringing up children in that home", when Hill came out and hit Mr Brierton once on the back and head and two or three times in the stomach with the hatchet.

Garda Moran told Ms Lacey that she called to Hill’s home the next day and he admitted attacking Mr Brierton with the hatchet which he handed over to gardaí.

He said his partner had a headache that night and he had to go to the chemist twice to get her medication. He accepted that he said "some stupid things" to Mr Brierton’s wife.

Hill had 23 previous convictions including two previous assaults, the last one of which was recorded in 1991. The majority of the offences involved, burglaries, thefts and robberies.

Garda Moran agreed with Mr Bowman that Hill claimed that there was "an ongoing dispute" between the neighbours and that he had to call the gardaí twice because of the level of noise at the party. He said Mr Brierton told him to "f*** off" when he first called to complain.

She accepted that the assault took place at 3.45am when Hill found Mr Brierton and two other men in his garden but Mr Bowman pointed out that his client accepted that his actions were not justified as a defence for a threat he may have perceived on his partner, children or home.

Garda Moran further accepted that Hill had an earlier drug difficulty but when he addressed this in 1991 he also "got the criminality out of his life".