Man tells how he hoped he would die after attacker threw caustic soda in face and eyes

A man has told how he hoped to die when a man threw a bottle of acid at him, resulting in burns to his face and scalp and the loss of his left eye.

Francis Costello (40) broke down in the witness box as he struggled to read out a victim impact statement detailing what he had gone through since John Paul Carey (35) threw caustic soda in his face and attacked him at his home in Cork on March 4th, 2022.

“The night of 4th of March 2022 will remain with me for the rest of my life, the physical pain I went through, I just wanted to die, to stop the burning in my eyes, my face and my head as I lay on the ground, crying and screaming in pain while I was being punched and kicked,” said Mr Costello.

“I was praying the next blow would be fatal, just to stop the suffering. Little did I know that night that for the next year I would be battling with my mental and emotional health, attending multiple procedures and surgeries before having my eye removed last October.”

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Carey was jailed for nine and a half years on Monday after pleading guilty earlier this year at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing serious harm to Mr Costello at Connolly Road, Ballyphehane on March 4th, 2022.

Carey, who is originally from Glanmire in Cork but who was living at Dunmanus Crescent in Knocknaheeny at the time of the assault, had also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr Costello’s brothers, John and Roy, on the same occasion.

Det Insp Jason Lynch outlined the circumstances of the three assaults and said they happened when there was a knock on the front door of the Costello home at Connolly Road, Ballyphehane at 8.20pm.

“Francis Costello answered the door where he was met by John Paul Carey. Both were known to each other. Mr Carey is now residing with Francis Costello’s former partner. There was a brief discussion about a phone call the night before.

“Before he got a chance to answer Mr Carey, a liquid was thrown in his face. He fell to the floor with severe pain and was screaming. Mr Carey commenced an assault on him. On hearing the screams, Roy and John came to their brother’s assistance. Both instantly recognised John Paul Carey.

“They too were doused with a liquid. It caused severe burning and agony. John suffered chemical burns to his face. Roy’s hands and arms were burned. Mr Carey fled the scene,” said Det Insp Lynch adding John Costello has only 90pc vision in one eye and 80pc in the other following the attack.

Francis Costello had to give up his job in retail and John Costello had to give up his job in security. Roy Costello suffered burns to his arms and hands which had healed but he was still left with scarring and the attack had a hugely traumatic effect on the entire family, he said.

Det Insp Lynch said gardaí found an empty bottle of drain cleaner nearby and when it was sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis, it was found to contain sodium hydroxide or caustic soda which is used to unblock drains.

“Gardaí called to John Paul Carey that night and he refused to engage with them – his only inquiry was if they had seen Francis Costello and was he still a handsome man?” said Det Insp Lynch, adding that when Carey was arrested and questioned, he replied “no comment” to most questions.

He said Carey had a total of 99 previous convictions, including for possessing €50,000 worth of heroin for sale or supply and one for armed robbery of a post office from February 2020. He committed this offence while under a suspended portion of that sentence.

Prosecution barrister, Donal O’Sullivan, said the DPP was of the view that the assault on Francis Costello was at the higher end of the scale and believed the appropriate sentence was between 10 and 15 years.

Defence barrister, Elizabeth O’Connell, submitted that Carey, who had consumed alcohol on the night, had by pleading guilty spared his victims the trauma of having to give evidence. She also urged the court to take into account his difficult upbringing and the fact that he lost his mother to suicide.

Judge James McCourt said he agreed with the DPP’s view that the assault on Francis Costello was at the upper end of the scale, describing the attack as “cowardly and premeditated and planned”.

“I note you have written a letter of apology and that is of some help but nothing can put Mr Costello back to where he was before this senseless attack,” said Judge McCourt.

He said the appropriate sentence was ten years, but he suspended the final six months to incentivise rehabilitation. He backdated the sentence to April 2022 when Carey first went into custody.