A father of three who poured a kettle of boiling water over his former partner and her new lover as they lay sleeping, has been released from court having already spent over a year in custody while awaiting sentence.
Gary Doyle(37), with an address at Castle Park, Ballybane, Galway, pleaded guilty before Galway Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Sandra Martin (43), causing her harm on September 22nd last year.
He also pleaded guilty to assaulting his former neighbour, Dermot Talty(38), causing him harm, on the same date.
Sergeant Paul Duane told the sentence hearing that Doyle broke into the house he had formerly shared with Ms Martin since 1999, in the early hours of the morning, filled the kettle in the kitchen, waited for it to boil and then walked to the downstairs front bedroom where the couple were sleeping and poured the boiling water over them.
Doyle then fled the scene but was arrested a short time later in Bohermore cemetery.
The couple were brought to hospital where they were treated for their injuries.
Sgt. Duane said 28 per cent of Mr Talty’s upper body suffered burns and he had been left with permanent scarring to some parts of his body.
He required dressings on the burns for four months and was in a lot of pain but had since made a good recovery.
Ms Martin, he said, sustained severe burns to the back of her arms and back. She too had made a good recovery but had been left with pigmentation marks to her skin in the affected areas.
The couple, he said, were in court together but did not wish to give evidence. Prosecuting barrister, Conor Fahy, said Doyle and Ms Martin had three children together but the relationship had broken down and she had taken out a court Protection Order against him the month before this attack.
Sgt Duane said the accused came from Northern Ireland originally and had 21 previous convictions.
Six days before this attack, Doyle had thrown a cup of hot coffee in Ms Martin’s face in a coffee shop.
He pleaded guilty to that attack and to breaching the Protection Order on the same occasion, when he appeared before Galway District Court last June and was given a suspended sentence.
Doyle, the court was told, had decided not to take up High Court bail, since going into custody following his arrest on September 22nd last year and had remained in prison on remand since.
Defence barrister, Conal McCarthy said his client had been drinking around this time following the break-up of his relationship with Ms Martin. He was very upset that he had to leave his home at 20 Cooke’s Terrace, which he had refurbished himself. He said Doyle was now very remorseful for what he did and he just wanted to get on with his life.
Judge Rory McCabe sentenced Doyle to three years in prison for each assault, the sentences to run concurrently.
He then suspended the final 18 months of each sentence on condition Doyle remain under the supervision of the probation service for twelve months, follow all of its recommendations, be of good behaviour and notify the service of any change of address.
A short time later, Judge McCabe was informed by the prison service that Doyle had by now served all of the sentence imposed on him by the court and he was to be released from custody with immediate effect.
On the application of Mr Fahy, Judge McCabe bound him to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three years and continue to comply with the probation service as set out above.