Louth woman had role in ‘vicious assault' which occurred after break-in
Dundalk Circuit Court heard that the defendant and a male co-accused entered the house at a different address in Doolargy Avenue on March 5, 2022. The man had previously been in a relationship with the 32-year-old victim.
Gda Stephen Kilgannon said that Gardaí were alerted at 8.30am and when they arrived the woman was being treated by ambulance personnel. She was bleeding at the back of her head and was confused and distressed.
She identified Ms Smith as one of her attackers.
CCTV footage obtained by investigators showed the defendant entering the house.
The victim had clumps of her hair pulled out, bruising to her neck, shoulders and around her eyes. Photos of the injuries were in the book of evidence. The woman did not make a Victim Impact Statement.
Ms Smith co-operated with Gardaí. She admitted going into the house and pulling the woman's hair out. She had no excuse other than assisting her friend.
Gda Kilgannon said that the she had no previous convictions nor had there been any trouble since.
She was generally quite pleasant to deal with and 'appears somewhat of a good mother'. She had abided by onerous bail conditions.
Counsel for Ms Smith said that this was at the higher end of Section 3 assault. The defendant accepted responsibility from the beginning. She wanted to apologise.
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A volunteer with a homeless charity, she was under the influence of the co-accused. It was a joint enterprise of an 'horrific assault'.
Judge Dara Hayes said that the victim had been attacked in her own home and sustained serious injuries. The other person appeared to have greater culpability.
There was a plea of guilty which would have been of greater value had it come earlier.
The defendant took a role in a vicious assault and unprovoked attack. It may not have been the dominant role.
The Garda evidence was that she got caught up in this at the behest of the co-accused and was the lesser party.
Judge Hayes continued that the victim had resumed her relationship with this man.
Ms Smith was remorseful and had taken neither drink nor drugs since.
A two-year five-month sentence was imposed, suspended in its entirety for that period.
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