A 24-year-old who slashed and stabbed his pregnant girlfriend as she slept and also tried to strangle her three-year-old daughter was sentenced to 15 years in prison at Kilkenny Circuit Court yesterday.
Seán Walsh had an address at O'Loughlin Court, Kilkenny, at the time of the offence. He is originally from the UK and came to Kilkenny in 2001. He has been in custody since he was arrested hours after the bloody attack in November 2004.
Walsh had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Georgette O'Carroll at her home at O'Loughlin Court, Kilkenny, on November 9th, 2004, and to endangering the life of her three-year-old daughter from a previous relationship at the same location on the same date.
Yesterday, psychological and psychiatric reports were handed to the judge as well as victim impact statements. Walsh's barrister, John Peart, told the court the incident was completely unpremeditated and absolutely bizarre. "Prior to this incident, he already had psychiatric difficulties and violent tendencies. He has complete remorse for his actions and has pleaded to avoid the trauma of his victims having to give evidence."
After reading the reports, Judge Olive Buttimer said: "There is always the danger of placing too much reliance on reports that are given in evidence after the event, because the information is information given after the event.
"The seriousness of these offences cannot be underestimated. That this case is not before the Central Criminal Court on a charge of murder has nothing to do with the accused. There are no mitigating factors in his conduct. At the time, his girlfriend was pregnant with his child. There had been no drink or drugs taken and his girlfriend was asleep at the time of the attack.
"He has admitted vivid and elaborate fantasies and we have heard from reports that Mr Walsh had followed people on the street at night, carrying a knife," he said.
The judge also addressed whether or not the attack was planned. "The accused planned it. In the case of the child, he knew that she would answer his call and enter the bathroom and then he could assault her. Then he would be able to assault Georgette O'Carroll. He used a Stanley knife while she slept and, when she woke, he headbutted her. It is clear that serious injury was caused and that there was a risk of death to both. He exploited a defenceless victim and the confidence and trust of a three-year- old.
"Mr Walsh has indicated to a psychiatrist that he felt a sense of relief and a bit of a buzz after the incident," she added.
Judge Buttimer told the court she was obliged to take into account his plea of guilty and the fact he had spared Ms O'Carroll the ordeal of giving evidence.
"I would have imposed a life sentence but for this - to allow the experts decide when Mr Walsh should be released back into society."
The judge sentenced him to 10 years for assault causing harm to Georgette O'Carroll and five years for endangering the life of her daughter.
The court had previously heard Ms O'Carroll was in a relationship with Walsh at the time and was expecting a child with him when he viciously attacked her at her home on November 9th, 2004.
The couple had watched a film in the cinema the previous night called The Grudge - which depicts a husband trying to strangle his wife. The following morning, Georgette woke up to find herself being suffocated by Walsh. She was also headbutted by him and had a number of injuries inflicted by stabbing.
Ms O'Carroll managed to escape and discovered her daughter in the bathroom with pink trousers around her neck.
At the time, Ms O'Carroll believed her daughter was dead. There was a fracture to her daughter's left elbow and bite marks to her body. Ms O'Carroll was not in court for the sentencing.