Man who hit victim over the head with a life buoy in Cork City sent to prison

The court heard the accused 'was fearful for an elderly lady in the area but he entirely accepts he overreacted'

The court in Cork was told that the defendant first punched the victim in the face before returning with a life buoy and hitting him over the head with it twice. File picture: Denis Minihane

A life buoy was used to strike a man over the head in the course of a city centre assault and now the 51-year-old man who carried out the crime has been sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Judge Helen Boyle sentenced Gordon Sheerin, aged 51, of no fixed address in Cork, to two years imprisonment with the last six months suspended, backdated to October 15, 2025, when he went into custody.

Garda Stephen O’Sullivan said that at approximately 6pm on October 15 last year, gardaí responded to a report of an incident at Lower Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork City, in relation to an assault.

“At the scene, gardaí observed a man bleeding from the head and face and he was lying on the ground in a semi-conscious state. He was later removed to the Mercy University Hospital for medical treatment.

“Gardai viewed CCTV footage of the alleged incident and observed a male who is known to gardaí as Gordon Sheerin, of no fixed address, on CCTV.

“Footage showed him engaged in a physical altercation and striking the other man on numerous occasions in the face with his fist and returned with a life buoy in his possession, where he can be seen to strike him on the head on two occasions. 

"Gordon Sheerin then drags the male across the road at Lower Oliver Plunket Street,” Garda O’Sullivan said.

'Mental health difficulties'

Defence barrister Elaine Audley said there was no statement of complaint from the other man and that even though the case was based entirely on CCTV evidence, Mr Sheerin pleaded guilty to the charge of assault causing harm.

“He has battled with addiction since the age of 15… He has mental health difficulties. Unfortunately, on this day the demons got the better of him and he fell back into offending.

“He entirely accepts he was in the wrong. He said he was fearful for an elderly lady in the area but he entirely accepts he overreacted due to his abuse of alcohol. 

"He wishes to apologise to the victim even though the victim has chosen not to engage with the process,” Ms Audley said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.