Courts / Limerick / Report

Jail for pair who took part in "depraved and barbaric" assault where man's foot was nailed to floor

Summary

Two Limerick men, Gerard Mackin (33) and Patrick Hayes (52), pleaded guilty to a "depraved and barbaric" assault on 53‑year‑old Dan Quilligan on 14 September 2015 at 6 Larch Court. Quilligan was nailed to the kitchen floor with a nail‑gun, causing lasting pain and trauma. The Special Criminal Court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, described the assault as "most grievous". Both men were sentenced to three years' imprisonment. A separate charge of falsely imprisoning Quilligan was dropped by the State. The case was presented as a pre‑planned joint enterprise, with CCTV evidence linking Mackin's car to the scene. Quilligan's victim impact statement highlighted the lasting physical and emotional damage, stating the incident had "shattered my life". The trial of co‑accused Mark Heffernan, who pleaded not guilty, will resume on Monday.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for pair who took part in "depraved and barbaric" assault where man's foot was nailed to floor. Charges or matters: the assault. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• September 14th, 2015 Incident
• 1980 to 1986 Incident
• 2017-03-16 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report