Addict who attacked mother of his child given suspended sentence

A reformed heroin addict who attacked the mother of his child with a hammer leaving her with a wound that needed nine stitches has been given a two-year suspended sentence.

Barry Peters (aged 34) was in the middle of a domestic dispute with Ms Charlene Hammond when he called at her home and hit her over the wrist with the weapon.

He told gardai that he had called at the house because he was annoyed at parties Ms Hammond had been holding there. He claimed he was swinging the hammer when the victim answered the door and he accidentally struck her.

Peters of Bridge Street, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm on January 22, 2006.

Judge Patrick McCartan suspended the entire sentence on strict conditions after he took into account the efforts Barry has since made to rehabilitate and €2,000 he had in court to offer as an expression of his remorse.

He warned Peters that he would serve the sentence if he came to garda attention in the next two years.

"You are getting this chance, if we meet again it will be different," Judge McCartan said.

Sergeant Michael Kelly told Ms Caroline Cummings BL, prosecuting, that a victim impact report before the court stated that Ms Hammond and Peters have since resolved their differences.

He said that Peters had 10 previous convictions which included larceny, assault and misuse of drugs. His last recorded offence dated back to 2000.

Sgt Kelly agreed with defence counsel Ms Elva Duffy BL, that Peters was depressed at the time and on that particular night, he "lost it completely".

He accepted that Peters had not come to garda attention since 2006 and he was aware that he had been on a methadone programme in an attempt to get off drugs.

Ms Duffy told Judge McCartan that Peters and Ms Hammond’s relationship ended in 2004 and he started using heroin. He was moving from place to place, had gone into a downward spiral and was suffering from undiagnosed depression.

She said he had been "deeply shocked by his actions" that night and immediately sought help for his addiction and his depression.

Ms Duffy said that Peters wanted to offer a "sincere apology" to the victim and he now hopes to change his life significantly and "detoxify completely".