Man jailed for 'vicious' acid attack on Limerick woman and pouring boiling water over her

The judge also described Christopher Stokes' behaviour as cruel and the threats he made as sinister

Mr Justice McGrath imposed 12 years with the last six months suspended on the charge of assault causing serious harm to Ms Lee, six years for threatening to kill Mr Fehin and seven-and-a-half years for arson of Ms Lee’s home – all sentences to run concurrently. File photo

The 39-year-old man who threw acid on to a woman’s face, poured boiling water over her back and set fire to her home as she lay seriously injured, was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years in prison on Thursday.

Mr Justice Michael McGrath said as he jailed Christopher Stokes of Sarsfield Avenue, Garryowen, Limerick: “This was a sustained, vicious, prolonged and frightening assault which has left her with ongoing injuries of a psychological and physical nature.” 

The judge also described the accused man’s behaviour as cruel on the occasion and the threats he made as sinister.

Stokes pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork to charges of causing serious harm to Simone Lee on May 11, 2021, at the house in Garryowen, arson and threatening to kill or cause serious harm to 73-year-old Timothy Fehin on the same occasion.

Mr Justice McGrath imposed 12 years with the last six months suspended on the charge of assault causing serious harm to Ms Lee, six years for threatening to kill Mr Fehin and seven-and-a-half years for arson of Ms Lee’s home – all sentences to run concurrently.

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