Man avoids jail after poisoning partner by crushing Valium tablets into her sandwich
Man avoids jail for crushing up Valium tablets inside his 'stressed' partner's sandwich
A man who poisoned his partner by crushing up two Valium tablets and placing them in her sandwich is back walking the streets after dodging a jail sentence after claiming he had been trying to help her 'relax'.
Video recorded by the Sunday World shows Mark O'Neill (62) of Cois na Coille, Pollerton, Co Carlow standing outside court as he awaited sentencing for the shocking crime last week.
He pleaded guilty to Section 12 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act, which is defined as 'intentionally or recklessly administering, or causing to be taken, a substance which he/she knows to be capable of interfering substantially with the other's bodily functions'.
The court previously heard Mark O'Neill's partner, Helen Nolan, discovered Valium tablets in the sandwich that he had made for her last August and that after taking one bite, she didn't eat any more of it because it tasted 'metallic' and that she immediately went to sleep.
At his sentencing hearing, defence barrister Ross Pratt O'Brien pleaded for leniency on behalf of his client.
He told Judge Eugene O'Kelly the facts of the case were accepted but noted it was his client's defence his wife was 'extremely stressed' at the time and he had been trying to help her.
He said he now accepted his actions were reckless and could have caused her serious harm but said he did not consider this at the time.
He said his client was 62 years old and has no previous convictions.
He said he had fully co-operated with the investigation and had made admissions.
He said as a result of the incident, his relationship was gone and that O'Neill is now effectively homeless and living in temporary accommodation.
O'Neill pictured outside court this week
He said O'Neill had been socially dependent on his partner and as a result of the case his entire social structure had broken down.
'He is now isolated entirely,' he said.
He asked the court to deal with O'Neill by way of a non-custodial sentence.
Judge Eugene O'Kelly described O'Neill's actions as 'shocking'.
'It was a shocking incident particularly with a person whom he knew had shocking medical issues which required lots of medication, so he knew perfectly well what he was doing to his partner,' said Judge O'Kelly.
'I have read the victim impact statement. The Probation Welfare Report is positive. The accused currently does not have a strong support network and is of low risk of reoffending,' added Judge O'Kelly.
Mark O'Neill is now 'isolated entirely'
News in 90 Seconds - June 1st
Judge O'Kelly said he would impose a sentence of one year and six months, which he would suspend in its entirety for a period of two years on the accused entering into a bond of €100.
Speaking directly to O'Neill, Judge O'Kelly said: 'I can assure you, that you have used up every opportunity that is available from this court.'
Approached for comment at her home later, a family member of Ms Nolan's said she was aware of the outcome of the case but didn't wish to comment.
The court heard previously that O'Neill and Ms Nolan had been in a relationship for 30 years and that they lived together at an address in Pollerton.
Judge O'Kelly heard that on the day of the offence, Ms Nolan was in her bedroom on the phone when she heard Mr O'Neill on the landing outside so she asked him to make a sandwich for her.
He subsequently returned with a tomato and mayonnaise sandwich, gave it to her and left the bedroom.
The court heard that when Ms Nolan took a bite out of it, it tasted metallic and didn't taste like it should have, so she put it down and didn't have any more.
She then fell asleep, and when she woke up the following morning, she still felt tired, so tired that she didn't feel like she had slept at all.
She was 'overwhelmingly tired' throughout the day when she went to Tullow so she returned home to go back to bed, the court heard.
Judge O'Kelly was told that when she saw the sandwich still on her bedside locker, the bread had turned blue in places and, upon investigation, she saw blue tablets mixed into it.
She went to her doctor, who said she was medically fine but advised her to go to the gardai about the matter.
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