TWO BROTHERS have received three-year prison sentences for their part in an ongoing midlands feud.
Father of one Patrick O’Neill (19) pleaded guilty to possession of six petrol bombs at his home on January 10th, 2007, and father of two Raymond O’Neill jnr (21) pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Michael Horan of Thornberry Drive on December 26th, 2006.
Mullingar Circuit Court heard yesterday that gardaí were dealing with an incident where shots were fired at the home of the O’Neill family, Meadowpark, Athlone when they were made aware of a man injured at a house 200 yards away. Michael Horan suffered lacerations to the head and legs following the assault by Raymond “Miley” O’Neill who used a slash hook to inflict the injuries.
Mr Horan told of how he had been walking with his girlfriend and small baby to a neighbour at Kilmacaugh because he did not feel safe in his own house.
At about 1.30am Raymond O’Neill jnr jumped a wall and attacked him. Others became involved, with one man holding him down to facilitate the assault.
He said he had shouted at his girlfriend to run away and that he was concerned for their daughter, now aged three. Mr Horan suffered a fractured femur which developed gangrene, a laceration to the scalp and one to his leg which the judge described as “an unsightly depressed scar”.
The family home was described as “fortified”, with four CCTV cameras feeding into one television and a corrugated iron structure over the side entrance. At times the house was boarded up because windows had been broken.
Judge Anthony Kennedy said the accused men came from a dysfunctional family background and had become caught up in the feud out of a sense of misguided family loyalty.
He described the assault on Mr Horan as “frightful and unprovoked”.
“God only knows what would have been made of the stash of petrol bombs,” he added as he imposed the three-year sentences.