The partner of a woman who died from head trauma after being struck with a blunt instrument at least eight times was yesterday jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to a charge of reckless endangerment.
Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court heard that David Hughes (44) was not charged with the manslaughter or murder of his partner of 18 years, Janet Chaney (47). He was instead charged with reckless endangerment, which involves creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another.
The court heard that both partners had a history of alcohol abuse, rowing and violence. Hughes has previous convictions in Britain for assault.
In a detailed statement to gardaí made within hours of Ms Chaney's death on April 14th last year, Hughes described how they started drinking at 10.20am the previous day.
In the following hours, he said, they drank Guinness, lager and vodka.
When Hughes had told her she was not getting any more because he thought she was getting drunk very quickly she had kicked his glass in temper.
"I hit her a slap," he said. She fell to the ground, breaking the glass in her hand, and was kicking, screaming and shouting, he told gardaí.
When later that evening she tried to open the front door, he pulled her back by the hair, and her head hit the ground, leaving her dazed.
The court heard how he dragged her upstairs and how on at least four occasions when she came downstairs he dragged her back up by the hair and arm before throwing her into the bedroom.
At one point they ended up in a bundle at the top of the stairs, and Hughes lost his balance and thought he was going to fall down. Later he heard her fall down the stairs and dragged her back up. He threw her into the bedroom and left her on the floor.
Later that night he went to the bedroom and "tidied her up a bit." He went to a local shop at about 8.30am the next morning and when he returned she had not moved.
He lay down beside her, smoked and talked to her, but there was no response.
He told gardaí how he tried to prop her up and give her the kiss of life, but she had vomited on him. Then he phoned for an ambulance.
Det Garda Sgt Bill Piper said a postmortem by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy found injuries to Ms Chaney's head, neck, trunk, arms and legs and under the surface of her scalp.
Her brain was grossly swollen and she concluded that she had died from head trauma from a blunt object, "more than likely while face down and at least eight times". She had four broken ribs.
Hughes is a native of Dundalk who had moved to Britain where he met the deceased. They returned to Dundalk four years ago and had been living in the house at Oakland Park where the offence occurred.
"If this had gone to trial neighbours would have heard they [the couple] were dysfunctional, rowed frequently and regularly, and there was a lot of violence in the relationship," Det Garda Sgt Pipe told the court.
He outlined Hughes's eight previous convictions in Britain, including three for assault occasioning actual bodily harm. It is unclear how many related to the deceased. Sgt Piper said Ms Chaney's three children, who are in England, had been traumatised by her death.
Defence barrister Derek Kenneally said that as a couple they had "plummeted to the very depths of dysfunctional."
Mr Kenneally said that for Hughes the loss of his partner, the trauma it had caused to her family and the desperate end to a sad and traumatic life had resulted in him "reaching a point where he realises he must do something with the gift he has, the gift of life". He was determined on his release from prison to find work and be "a meaningful and productive member of society".
Judge Pat McCartan initially indicated a two-year sentence, but taking into account the fact that Hughes had spent six weeks in custody, did not take up bail for some time and had a heart condition, he jailed him for 18 months.