Woman (64) avoids jail for attacking lockdown drinking partner ‘out of the blue’

A woman who has no memory of carrying out a violent attack on her drinking partner during the Covid-19 lockdown has received a three-year suspended prison sentence.

Mary Smith (64) and the victim had finished a bottle of vodka and started on a second at Smith’s home in Abbot Court, Dún Laoghaire when she suddenly began a sustained and bloody assault on the other woman.

The victim, who is in her 60s, suffered two fractured ribs and damage to her eye, which required 21 stitches. She told the court that because of damage to the nerves in her hand she is currently unable to write or pick up a cup of tea.

The victim later told gardaí­ that the attack came “out of the blue” when Smith hit her in the head with the vodka bottle. The victim fell to the floor and Smith continued to hit her on the ground.

It was alleged that Smith repeatedly told the victim she “was evil” and that the attack only ended when Smith fell back into her chair and went asleep.

The victim crawled into the hallway and came to later with Smith standing over her asking “who did this terrible thing to you?”

Smith went to a neighbouring flat and asked them to call an ambulance and after gardaí­arrived she fell unconscious again.

Appalled and horrified

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Smith had no idea that she had attacked her friend and was appalled and horrified to learn of her actions.

Carol Doherty BL, defending, said her client has not touched a drink since and associates alcohol now with “this negative and terrible event”. She said Smith had struggled during the pandemic restrictions and drank to cope with it.

She and the victim had been friends for a number of years and it was “common practice” for them to meet at Smith’s home for drinks, Garda Sgt John Cullinan told Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting.

Smith pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at her home on May 26th, 2020.

Lost trust

In her victim impact statement, the victim said that she did not feel safe when she came home from hospital two weeks after the attack and kept imagining Smith coming to her front door. She said she has lost her trust in people and is afraid to go outside by herself.

Judge Pauline Codd said that this was an unspeakable act of violence on Smith’s part. She said self-intoxication was not a defence.

She recommended a three-year prison term but due to Smith’s guilty plea, remorse and previous good character said she would suspend the sentence on condition that Smith refrain from all alcohol consumption for three years.

She also ordered Smith, who is on disability benefit, to pay a sum of €1,500 over in the next year to the victim or to a charity of the woman’s choosing.