Olivia Kelleher
A woman whose next-door neighbour lost four teeth after she struck him with a poker in an unprovoked assault which also involved her then-husband has been jailed for six months.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that Sheila and Jason O'Keeffe, aged 37 and 33 respectively, had split acrimoniously following the incident which occurred at Spittal Street in Cloyne on October 14th, 2018.
Sheila O'Keeffe was due to appear before the court last Monday. However, a warrant was issued for her arrest after the court heard that she was not present because she had been subject to an assault by an unnamed party.
Sheila O'Keeffe had pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing harm to Henry O’Callaghan by striking him with a poker on October 14th, 2018, and Jason O’Keeffe admitted assault causing harm to the same injured party by punching him.
Mr O'Keeffe received a 12-month suspended sentence for his role in the assault.
Lost teeth
Garda Kieran Cotter said the injured party told gardaí that he went out to his front door and that Jason O’Keeffe punched him in the face, knocking him back on to his sofa. He continued the assault when the injured party was on the sofa.
Garda Cotter said Sheila O’Keeffe picked up Mr O’Callaghan’s poker and struck him with it. The victim lost four teeth and sustained other injuries during the incident.
At a previous hearing of the case Judge O Donnabhain warned the couple to vacate their rental property in the East Cork town.
The court was told that Mr O'Keefe had moved following the incident and was now living in Midleton. He has not come to the adverse attention of gardai since the assault.
Judge O'Donnabhain joked that it would be "traumatic" for anyone to be separated from the village of Cloyne.
Garda Kieran Cotter said that on the 19th of December 2020 Sheila O'Keeffe had gone to the home of Mr O'Callaghan and banged on the door whilst shouting at the top of her voice. No explanation was given for this incident which deeply upset Mr O'Callaghan.
Heavy drinking
Peter O'Flynn, barrister representing Ms O'Keeffe, said his client was drinking heavily following an acrimonious breakup with Jason and had no recollection of the incident. He said his client was without previous convictions.
Ms O'Keeffe has now left the property in Cloyne and is residing in Watergrasshill, Co Cork.
During a previous hearing of the case , William Bulman BL, acting for Jason O’Keeffe, said that Sheila O'Keeffe had a higher degree of involvement in the assault on Henry O'Callaghan.
Judge Sean Ó Donnabháin remarked: “I am familiar with the cut-throat defence but I had yet to see it between a married couple."
A total of €2,700 was previously furnished to the injured party as compensation for the incident. Mr O'Keeffe came to court today with a further €500 in compensation.
Mr O'Keeffe was jailed for 12 months for his part in the incident. In sentencing, Sheila O'Keeffe Judge O'Donnabhain said that she had been unable to restrain herself and had banged on the door of the injured party at Christmas.
He jailed her for 12 months suspending the last six months of the sentence adding that the serious incident had deeply upset Mr O'Callaghan.
