A man who attacked his estranged father with a golf club leaving his coordination permanently affected has been jailed for four years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Micheal Norton (20) St Pappins Green, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to his father, Mr Derek Norton (39) at Shallon Lane, The Ward, Co Dublin on August 12th, 2000.
Barry Mulvey (23), Old Town Rd, Santry, his co-accused who pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assault causing harm on the same occasion, received a three-year suspended sentence. He had paid €6,400 compensation.
Judge Frank O'Donnell said he had "grave reservations" about some aspects of the accounts of the incident given by both men to gardaí and also by Michael Norton to a psychiatrist. Neither had previous convictions and he unconditionally suspended the final year of Norton's sentence.
Det Sgt O'Rourke said Mr Norton had made a good recovery but still had difficulty with his co-ordination while walking.
He took three times as long to do normal tasks than before the incident and could not walk for more than 15 minutes without taking a rest.