Cousins convicted of 'barbaric' attack with stilettos

Two Balbriggan cousins who launched a violent attack on their uncle and his partner in front of the couple’s young children have been sentenced to three years in jail, with 18 months suspended.

Philomena (aged 22) and Ethel (aged 27) Whitehouse attacked Paula Hoey with their stilettos, slashing her upper lip and ripping her top and bra off, while she and her partner, Shane Whitehouse, were walking in Balbriggan with their five- and three-year-old boys one Sunday afternoon.

Mr Whitehouse was left with a puncture wound to his scalp, consistent with being struck by a high heel, after he tried to protect Ms Hoey.

Judge Patrick McCartan described the assault as an act of “barbarism” in a public street, in which Ms Hoey was “left naked on the side of the street, having had her clothes torn from her body”. He said both she and Mr Whitehouse were left with multiple injuries and their children crying.

Both Philomena and Ethel Whitehouse denied the charges and claimed that they were acting in the defence of Ethel’s 14-year-old sister who had earlier grabbed Ms Hoey having made some remarks to her.

They were remanded in custody after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury convicted them of assault last month following a two-day trial.

Sergeant David Campbell told Ms Gerardine Small BL, prosecuting, that Ms Hoey has been shot since the verdict.

He agreed that as both accused had been on remand in custody, neither could have been responsible for the shooting and accepted that “it is obviously a very distinct and separate incident”, which is still being investigated.

Philomena Whitehouse, of Pinewood Green Court, was found guilty of assaulting Ms Hoey and Mr Whitehouse causing them harm on Drogheda Street, Balbriggan on October 2, 2005, while Ethel Whitehouse of Pinewood Green Crescent, was found guilty of assaulting Ms Hoey causing her harm on the same date.

Philomena had previous District Court convictions for road traffic offences but Ethel had none.

Sgt Campbell said a medical report before the court stated that Ms Hoey had to attend a plastic surgeon to repair the slash wound to her lip and has been left with a permanent scar. She also had multiple cuts to her back, chest and shoulders.

Mr Whitehouse had a puncture wound in his scalp, back and arm, consistent with a strike from a high heel.

A victim impact statement before the court stated that Ms Hoey lives in constant fear and suffers nightmares, while her eldest son did not speak for days after the assault and is now undergoing counseling through play therapy.

Judge McCartan said the 14-year-old had “summoned help from her family” and both accused had arrived for that purpose, armed with high heels and “the two victims were laid into”.

He said both women claimed that they happened to be passing by when the younger girl was attacked and went to help but added “they were simply not believed by the jury”.

He described both accused’s testimonies during the trial as “play-acting” and said their crying and sobbing before the jury was “a complete put-on”.

He accepted that while Philomena now acknowledges the verdict by the jury and apologises for her behaviour, Ethel has still not shown any remorse.

Judge McCartan noted that the matter arose out of a “family history” which has still not been settled.

He also noted that both women, who are single mothers, are now concerned for the welfare of their young children but commented: “Where was their concern for children when they beat up these children’s parents in front of them?”

Sgt Campbell agreed with Mr Diarmuid Collins BL, defending, Philomena, that there were a number of other people at the scene who may have also have hit the couple.

He accepted that Philomena gave a voluntary statement to the gardaí were she admitted to hitting Mr Whitehouse and said she may have hit Ms Hoey.

Mr Collins said his client has two children and has found her remand in prison very difficult.

He said on her first night, another woman was brought into her cell, who had concealed drugs on her person and started to use them in her presence. Mr Collins said his client had never used drugs before and found this incident very distressing.

Mr Cathal McGreal BL, defending Ethel, said that his client still maintains that she did not want to hurt anyone on the day and is hoping that this ongoing dispute can be settled. “She wants it all to end,” he told Judge McCartan.