Cork man told gardaí 'I wanted to clear my head' after hitting his sleeping mother with saucepan

The mother had told the court that her son was hearing voices in his head which were telling him to do things

The judge imposed a sentence of two-and-a-half years with the last one year suspended on the basis that the man would follow the directions of the probation service on his release from prison and engage with mental health services. File picture

A sleeping woman was attacked by her own son who struck her violently across the face with a saucepan – later telling gardaí: “I wanted to clear my head”, and now he has been jailed for 18 months.

Judge Sinead Behan said in light of the circumstances of the incident: “It is staggering to think that the GP in prison and the forensic psychiatrist are indicating he does not have a mental issue.” 

Judge Behan said that an in-depth probation report on the accused man was extremely helpful in exploring social issues in his life, as well as anger and vulnerabilities, but concluding with the recommendation of a psychiatric and a psychological report on the accused.

“This was an unprovoked attack on his mother who was asleep in her own bed. In terms of moral culpability I think he struggles with mental health issues. This is a sad case where his mother is at the end of her tether and trying to move forward,” Judge Behan said.

The judge imposed a sentence of two-and-a-half years with the last one year suspended on the basis that he would follow the directions of the probation service on his release from prison and engage with mental health services.

Garda Simone Gilman-Burke outlined the background to the incident in a case where the parties cannot be identified as one of the charges is brought under the Domestic Violence Act, namely the count alleging a breach of a protection order. The 24-year-old man also admitted assault causing harm.

The woman who is aged around 50 indicated at an earlier court hearing that she believed that if her son was granted bail he would return to her home in Cork and may even kill her. She said he was hearing voices in his head which were telling him to do things.

Garda Gilman-Burke said that when the accused was caught, arrested and questioned he told officers that he wanted to clear his head.

The defendant’s mother said: “I went to bed. I thought he was asleep already. 10.20 p.m. there was a slam. There was blood everywhere. I kicked him. He walked out. 

He has voices telling him what to do at this stage. He has serious mental health – the voices are telling him. 

Garda Gilman-Burke said the incident at the centre of the case occurred on Saturday night, March 9, 2024, when the accused walked into his mother’s bedroom and struck her in the face as she slept, causing her nose to bleed heavily and leaving her with a swollen eye. 

“The assault was completely unprovoked. She was asleep and entirely vulnerable. He fled afterwards,” Garda Gilman-Burke said.