Woman beaten with golf club by partner in ‘savage' attack

BreakingNews.ie

08-07-2025

A woman fled the country in fear for her life after her ex-partner punched and kicked her before raining "full force" blows with a golf club in a "savage attack", a court has heard.
Father of two Mark Conway, 39, of Marine View, Athlone, Co Westmeath, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Kirsty Fitzpatrick, age 27, on February 16th, 2024, at his home address.
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At Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court on Monday, Judge Keenan Johnson lambasted Conway, describing him as having "Jekyll and Hyde characteristics, passive when sober, and when he is drunk, he is a menace, violent and a thug".
He said Conway's late-stage expression of remorse "rings rather hollow" and rebuked him for his audacity in accusing Ms Fitzpatrick of lying.
He indicated that he was considering a six-year sentence but adjourned finalising the case until November to obtain a probation report, to see if he could consider suspending a portion of the term.
Victim impact statement
The distraught victim who was "battered all over her body" watched the proceedings via video link and delivered a hard-hitting impact statement.
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In evidence, Garda Sheila Fitzgerald stated that she responded to an alert and went to Conway's home, where she saw that the woman was "visibly shaken". She revealed Conway had assaulted her with a golf club and used a wooden floorboard.
They had lived on and off at the house where the accused resided with his father.
On the date of the attack he had been drinking heavily.
They went to bed and were sharing a pack of tobacco but he accused her of being a thief for taking some and told her to go back to her ex and accused her of texting him.
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The court heard he "grabbed her face on her jaws with one hand and squeezed it."
His father came up and pleaded with him to stop, but Conway punched her on the side of the face and verbally abused her, and then took her phone and threw it across a room.
Minutes later, he tried to cuddle her, but she pushed him away before he put his arm around her. He dug his fingers into her waist. It was sore, and she told him to stop, but he grabbed her arm, pulled her by her hair onto the ground, and she was "roaring for help".
At this point, Conway punched her in the face, kicked her in the ribs, and kicked her head as she begged him to stop.
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He fetched a golf club, struck her on the right shoulder and kept swinging at her "full force" as she put her arms up to protect herself. Ms Fitzpatrick begged him to stop, telling him she loved him and thought he would kill her, and that was his intention.
He left the bedroom, and she blocked the door, but he used a metal bar to break through.
Gardaí arrived and Conway "burst" from a room and lunged at them until they used an incapacitant spray.
Garda interview
In his garda interview, he admitted to drinking heavily and claimed he had no recollection of the previous night. He also tried to convince gardaí that his former partner was a liar and that she made things up.
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He was on bail for another assault on Ms Fitzpatrick, and that case is still before the District Court awaiting sentencing.
Ms Fitzpatrick had suffered severe bruising, suffered flashbacks, trauma and insomnia. She told the court: "I thought I was going to die, he wrapped my hair around his hand, leaving no way of escaping."
She said she had been in excruciating pain and suffered nerve damage to her left arm. She opened up about the mental scars which she thought would take years to heal.
The court heard that afterwards, Conway sent threats, putting her in constant fear. Ms Fitzpatrick recalled one of his messages said: "Gardaí could not protect me even if I changed my name or colour of hair, he would still find me, or if I set foot in Athlone."
Michael Cooney BL, defending, said Conway had a history of alcohol abuse, and was "in a state of alcoholic blackout" when this happened.
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Conway apologised via his barrister and did not address the court. However, his victim spoke up, saying, "I will never, ever, ever accept it".
His 21 previous convictions included public order, criminal damage, burglary, theft and knife possession.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Women's Aid (24-hour freephone helpline at 1800-341 900, email [e-mail]) or Men's Aid Ireland (confidential helpline at 01-554 3811, email [e-mail]) for support and information.
Safe Ireland also offers a number of local services and helplines at safeireland.ie/get-help/where-to-find-help/. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.