Corkman jailed for his part in attack where man was 'slashed and flayed' by a group of men

The victim had been lured to a rural area to receive €200 in payment for a debt

Judge Martin imposed a total sentence of two-and-a-half years on Luke Coughlan at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and suspended the last nine months of that prison term. File picture: Larry Cummins

A sinister and premeditated attack saw a man being lured to a rural area to receive €200 in payment for a debt only to be set upon and attacked by a gang of unidentified men.

The victim’s back was left with a series of whip-type injuries but it was not clear how the injuries were inflicted during the attack at Dromduff, Macroom, County Cork, on January 11, 2021.

Judge John Martin said: “He was set upon by a group of fellas who essentially flayed him. His back was slashed with what might have been a cat-of-nine-tails. Luckily he made good his escape and got medical attention.

“This was a nasty, nasty incident. I see it as being up there with a serious assault causing harm case — a sinister, nasty incident. I am not going to comment on anything about him (the injured party) being owed money by you (Luke Coughlan).

He was lured to a farmyard on a January evening, set upon by a group of men — slashed and flayed by this group of men as you sat in a car and watched.

While he was not physically involved in this assault, 29-year-old Luke Coughlan of Main Street, Coachford, County Cork, was prosecuted for being involved in the joint enterprise to carry out an assault causing harm.

Judge Martin imposed a total sentence of two-and-a-half years on Luke Coughlan at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and suspended the last nine months of that prison term.

Garda Padraig Dennehy outlined the background to the crime.

The sentence was backdated to when the accused went into custody for this offence nine months ago.

While there were aggravating factors, the judge said that mitigating factors included the plea of guilty at an early stage and insight he had shown into his offending.