Courts / Cork / Report

Cork man jailed for nine years for trying to murder his partner

Date
2016-12-02

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Cobh

County
Cork

Summary

Patrick O'Rourke, aged 63, was sentenced by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy at the Central Criminal Court to nine years' imprisonment for attempting to murder his partner, Donna Foster, on 11 August 2015. The sentence was back‑dated to the date of his arrest. O'Rourke also received a concurrent three and a half year term for assault causing harm to a minor who witnessed the attack. The judge described the assault as an extremely serious attack, noting that Foster had suffered two serious lacerations and a severe wound to her ribs with her intestine protruding, and that a minor was injured while intervening. O'Rourke pleaded guilty, was described as cooperative and remorseful, and was considered a well‑behaved prisoner. Foster expressed relief that the case was concluded and that she could move on with her life.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Cork man jailed for nine years for trying to murder his partner. Charges or matters: assault causing harm to a minor at the same address on the same date. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

August 11, 2015 Incident
November 16 Incident
August 11 Incident
2016-12-02 Publication

Case subjects

Patrick O'Rourke

Convicted Person

Charges: assault causing harm to a minor at the same address on the same date (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Today at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed a nine year sentence on O'Rourke and backdated it to when he went in to custody. He also sentenced O'Rourke to three and a half years for the charge of assault causing harm on the minor, to run concurrently.