'Sadistic' attacker forced curtain pole into mother's lover, appeal court hears

Nathan Doherty, aged 24, from Legan in County Longford, appeared before the Court of Appeal on a sentence appeal brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Doherty had pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious harm following an assault on 3 June 2018 at a property in Colehill, County Longford. The attack involved the use of a broken curtain pole and resulted in serious internal injuries to the victim, who required a colostomy bag for several months and suffered lasting psychological trauma. At Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court in January 2021, Judge Keenan Johnson imposed a six-year sentence with the final three years suspended. The DPP contended the suspension represented a substantial departure from sentencing practice for comparable offences, characterising the assault as vile and sadistic. Defence counsel argued Doherty was a first-time offender with mitigating circumstances and early guilty plea. Judgment was reserved.