A Cork man was jailed for five years yesterday after a court heard he injured a man so seriously as to leave him close to death, partially paralysed and with speech loss for some time.
John McCarthy (29), of Model Farm Road, Cork, was sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting Mr Mark Monahan (24), on February 8th, 1999.
Judge A.G. Murphy heard that McCarthy believed Mr Monahan had burgled his family home.
Mrs Anne Monahan said her son's life had been terribly altered by the assault.
Judge Murphy said the assault was premeditated and while McCarthy may not have intended to kill Mr Monahan, he had come very close to doing so.
McCarthy's genuine remorse was accepted by the court, Judge Murphy said, but a life had been ruined and society demanded sanctions against such attacks. A 10year jail sentence would be appropriate but in the circumstances he would impose a five-year term.