A 62-year-old man has been remanded in custody with consent to bail after he was charged with a knife attack on his partner which left her in a serious condition in hospital with 14 separate stab wounds.
Patrick O'Rourke was brought before a special sitting of Clonakilty District Court where he was charged in relation to the attack on Donna Foster at their house in Cobh on Tuesday.
The state alleges Mr O’Rourke assaulted Ms Foster causing her harm at Cooline Drive, Ballyvaloon, Cobh on August 11th contrary to Section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
Det Garda Bill Dillane gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution and told the court that Mr O’Rourke, a taxi driver, made no reply when the charge was put him following caution.
Insp Gerry Lacey said that gardaí were objecting to bail for Mr O’Rourke but defence solicitor, Ray Hennessy said that Mr O’Rourke was anxious to be released and was applying for bail.
Det Garda Dillane said that first ground for the garda objection to bail was the seriousness of the charge and the garda belief that the DPP may direct more serious charges against Mr O’Rourke.
The State would allege Ms Foster suffered serious injuries including 14 separate stab wounds as a result of the alleged assault by Mr O’Rourke and she required emergency surgery at hospital.
Det Garda Dillane said that Ms Foster was not in a serious but stable condition at Cork University Hospital but that she may require further major surgery.
The State was also objecting to bail on the grounds that Mr O’Rourke might interfere with witnesses including the injured party and others who were in the house, he said.
Det Garda Dillane said the State accepted Mr O’Rourke was not intent on threatening anyone in the case but rather to express remorse but any contact might be interpreted by the as intimidatory.
Mr Hennessy asked Mr O’Rourke if he would give an undertaking to the court not to make any contact with the injured party or anyone else linked to the case and he agreed not to do so.
Judge Tim Lucey said that he was inclined to grant bail to Mr O’Rourke whom gardaí had acknowledged had no previous convictions.
Insp Lacey sought that Mr O’Rourke would also stay an alternative address which he would furnish t o gardai and that he would sign on three times a week at Cobh Garda Station.
Insp Lacey also sought that Mr O’Rourke would given an undertaking to make contact by any means, directly or indirectly with Ms Foster and anyone else resident in the house.
He also asked that Mr O’Rourke not work as a taxi driver given he was operating a public service vehicle for which he required a PSV licence and he had just been charged with a serious assault.
Mr Hennessy strongly objected, saying the alleged assault was of a domestic nature and occurred in his house whereas his work as a taxi driver meant he was in contact with the public at large.
He said he could understand such a condition being sought if he had assaulted a passenger or someone in the course of his work as a taxi driver but that was not the case at all.
In the circumstances requiring him to give up working as taxi driver pending his case was excessively harsh and would deprive him of making a living to pay for any alternative accommodation, he said.
Judge Lucey said he was granting bail on these conditions including requiring him not to work as a taxi driver and if Mr O’Rourke was unhappy with that he could appeal his order to the High Court.
However when Mr O’Rourke could not provide him with an address for bail, he remanded him custody with consent to bail to appear again at Clonakilty District Court on August 20th.
