A Cork father has been jailed for nine months for savagely beating his ten-year-old son in a drunken rage after the child asked to watch cartoons on television.
Gerard Quilty (39), Seamus Murphy Place, Mallow, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to assaulting his son Christopher on January 21st at a previous sitting of Mallow District Court.
The child spent three days in hospital and suffered extensive bruising to his neck, back and spine, after his father beat him with a hard plastic toy truck.
The assault ended when the child's mother heard shouting and came into the room. The child ran out of the house and went to his grandmother's home where the authorities were alerted.
Sentencing in the case was adjourned when Judge Michael Patwell indicated that he would like to hear the child's version of the incident.
The young boy said in evidence yesterday at Mallow District Court that he had made up the story about the assault.
The child said he argued with his father about changing channels and the pair ended up falling leading him to cut himself.
Christopher's mother, Christine, withdrew statements she had previously made and told the court the child's father had not assaulted her son.
However, Judge Patwell pointed to the child's medical report asking Ms Quilty how her son had ended up with his injuries.
She repeated that her husband had not hit the child saying he only tried to "control him".
The judge said there had been contradictory statements in court but stated he believed the true story was the child had been beaten by a father who "overreacted" to his son's request to change channels.
He sentenced Quilty to nine months and fixed recogisances in the event of an appeal at the defendant's own surety of €600.
Hit-and-run charge teenagers get bail
Two teenage girls and a teenage boy were remanded on bail after being charged with a fatal hit-and-run accident in Limerick at the weekend.
Before Limerick District Court yesterday were a 16-year-old girl, a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy charged under Section 112 of the Road Traffic Act with allowing themselves to be carried in a stolen car on May 5th, 2002.
All were passengers in a stolen Honda Civic car which killed Ms Tanya Nunan (17), of Sarsfield Gardens, Moyross, and injured another teenage boy at Bengal Terrace, off Mulgrave Street, on Sunday night.
Judge James O'Connor, granting them bail, imposed curfew restrictions and told them they couldn't go into the city centre unless they had parental supervision.
The main accused, when cautioned, said "no" to the charges. The girls made no reply.
Evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given by Sgt Tom O'Connor, Det Garda Dave Burke and Det Garda Arthur Ryan, all from Roxboro Garda Station. The accused were remanded on bail until May 14th.
Man in court over city disturbances
A man appeared in court yesterday charged in connection with Monday's disturbances in Dublin's city centre.
Mr Brook Cameron (18), Timore Lane, Newcastle, Co Wicklow, denied a charge of assaulting a garda and breach of the peace near Dame Street.
Dublin District Court heard there may be further charges and an adjournment was sought. Judge James Scally remanded him on continuing bail to appear again on May 21st.