Man assaulted by man with baseball bat in Cork housing estate

A middle-aged man was viciously assaulted by a younger man armed with a baseball bat as he took a shortcut home through a housing estate after midnight with his wife.

That was the allegation made by Sergeant John Kelleher, who prosecuted the case at Cork District Court.

The case was before Judge Olann Kelleher to see if he would accept jurisdiction to deal with it at district court level rather than by indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

After hearing an outline of the alleged facts, the judge said he would hear the case at Cork District Court.

Patrick O’Sullivan, aged 34, of 43, Ferney Grove, Mahon, Cork City, faces a charge of assault causing harm to the other man, who was known to him, on March 10, 2019.

Defence solicitor Michael Quinlan applied for a copy of the prosecution statements in the case to be sent to the defence.

Judge Kelleher acceded to that application and also granted free legal aid for Mr Quinlan to represent Patrick O’Sullivan.

The case was adjourned until June 15, at which time a date will be fixed for hearing.

The matter would not have been adjourned for so long but for the scaled-back arrangements for courts in the coronavirus crisis.

Sgt Kelleher outlined the allegations:

The injured party and his wife were taking a shortcut through Ringmahon Avenue when, it was alleged, “he was viciously assaulted by a man carrying a baseball bat for no apparent reason”.

Sgt Kelleher told the court: “It is alleged the male struck him with the baseball bat in the arms and legs and tried to knock him to the ground. The injured party and his wife identified him as the defendant.”

The parties were known to each other.

The injured party received extensive bruising and soft tissue damage to his back, thighs and toes and some defensive injuries to his arms.