Cork man who attacked sleeping wife with boiling water and hammer jailed for eight years

Defendant told court: 'I had a domestic with my wife. That is all I had'

64-year-old Noel Twomey, of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, Cork, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing serious harm to his wife, Jackie Twomey, and production of a claw hammer on January 14, 2024.

A 59-year-old woman had boiling water poured over her head and was struck over the head with a claw-hammer by her husband — and on Monday he was jailed for eight years.

64-year-old Noel Twomey, of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, Cork, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing serious harm to his wife, Jackie Twomey, and production of a claw hammer on January 14, 2024.

“There is no evidence that what he did on the night had anything to do with a psychiatric condition,” Judge Dermot Sheehan said as he imposed a sentence of nine years with the last year suspended. 

One condition of the suspension of the last year is that he would stay away from the injured party for 12 years from Monday and have no contact direct or indirect with her. The sentence is backdated to January 2024 when he went into custody.

“Having regard to the level of premeditation. Some effort was made to boil the water. He went upstairs at 3am, where his wife was sleeping. He brought a claw hammer. The victim was defenceless. She was asleep in her own home.

“She was married to the accused. There is implicit in that that you can be trusted not to attack your wife. Society takes a particular view of that. Simply because it happens in the context of a relationship is an aggravating factor.

“A headline sentence of 12 years is appropriate. There are mitigating factors. The principle mitigating factor is that he went to the guards and explained what he had done. He followed that with a plea of guilty,” the judge said.

The sentence was reduced to nine years and the last year was suspended. 

Jackie Twomey, who was attacked by her husband while she was sleeping. File picture: Larry Cummins

When the defendant, who wore a hearing device supplied by the court, had to enter the bond in respect of the suspended one year of the sentence, he said: “Twelve years? It is my first time in court. I am hard of hearing. I had a domestic with my wife. That is all I had.” 

Detective Garda Mick Dolan said of the victim: “She does suffer from trauma as a result.” 

The Director of Public Prosecutions put the case at the higher end of the 10 to 15-year category of serious assault offences, prosecution barrister Katherine McGillicuddy said.

Defence senior council Seamus Roche said the defence required a psychiatric report but none was available despite numerous adjournments for that purpose. He said Twomey was confined to a cell on his own in Cork Prison because he could not be left with other prisoners because of the manner in which he conducts himself.

Noel Twomey wrote a letter from prison: “I would like to apologise to the court and my wife for what happened. It is hard for a man my age to be away from my family. It is scary [in prison] and I hope I don’t end my days there. I am deeply remorseful for my actions. I truly regret what I did. I will never hurt any person again.”