Gardaí hope to be given permission by doctors in the coming days to speak to a woman (51) who underwent surgery after suffering serious injuries when she was stabbed at her home in north Cork on Christmas Day.
The woman, a Hungarian national, was at her home at Glen North, Banteer with her son and daughter–in-law and a man known to her when a row broke out shortly after 4pm and she left the house only for the man to follow her and attack her, stabbing her several times in the chest.
The woman’s daughter-in-law raised the alarm, calling the emergency services and an off-duty paramedic, who was visiting relatives in the area, heard the message on his radio which he had with him and he raced to the scene and helped stabilise the woman until on-duty colleagues arrived.
The woman was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where she underwent surgery for multiple stable wounds to the chest, and although her condition was initially described as critical, Garda sources indicate that the woman is expected to survive the frenzied attack.
Meanwhile, gardaí from Mallow and Kanturk also arrived at the scene and discovering that the suspect had left the house and was armed, they requested assistance from the Armed Support Unit and two ASU teams from Cork city were deployed.
Gardaí also requested assistance from the Defence Forces as they believed the man was heading for forestry at Mount Hilary and a specialist army search unit equipped with search drones were dispatched from Collins Barracks in Cork to join in the operation, involving up to 30 gardaí.
The suspect, a Hungarian man (57) who had returned to North Cork from Hungary in October, was found by members of the ASU approximately 400 metres from the house with what are believed to be self-inflicted stab wounds.
The man was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where he also underwent emergency surgery for his injuries which were described as serious. He was not arrested but he remains under guard from members of the ASU deployed to monitor him at CUH.
Gardaí say that they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident but say that they hope to be given permission over the coming days to take a preliminary statement of complaint from the woman once doctors deem she is fit enough to speak to officers.
Gardaí preserved both the scene of the attack and the area where the man was found and Garda technical teams from Cork North and Cork West Divisions are due to begin a forensic examination of both locations on St Stephen’s Day.
Detectives are also expected to speak to both the woman’s son and her daughter-in-law and take witness statements from them in relation to the row which happened before the woman left the house and was attacked by the man.
