Man gets seven years for `savage' beatings

A 24-year-old man was jailed for seven years at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court in what the investigating garda described as…

A 24-year-old man was jailed for seven years at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court in what the investigating garda described as the most serious crime he had witnessed.

David Moran, Priory Lawn, Ballybeg, Waterford, pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rob and false imprisonment before Judge Kevin Haugh, who said the attack was "most savage".

According to evidence Moran and another man entered Mr Jamie O'Sullivan's workplace at the Maxol garage at Pickardstown, Tramore, at about 9 p.m. on January 16th last year. A gun was pointed at Mr O'Sullivan and the men demanded money. He told them the money was locked in floor safes and he did not have the keys.

The ordeal which followed was to last until 4 a.m. the next morning, and involved Mr O'Sullivan's imprisonment in his own car and repeated beatings at a remote location in Co Waterford by Moran using a golf-club.

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Mr O'Sullivan said he was struck about 20 times with the golf-club and on one occasion he felt his leg break.

The ordeal ended when gardai spotted the car travelling at speed at Ballybeg in Waterford. When they followed, the car was abandoned by the two assailants, and the gardai found Mr O'Sullivan in the boot.