Courts / Limerick / Report
Non-jury court to deliver verdict on Friday in nail gun assault trial
Summary
The Special Criminal Court is scheduled to deliver a verdict this Friday in the trial of Mark Heffernan, a Limerick man accused of involvement in a serious assault. Heffernan (32), of Swallow Drive, John Carey Park, Limerick, pleaded not guilty to the charge of assaulting Dan Quilligan, causing him harm at Larch Court on September 14, 2015. During the trial, the court heard evidence that Quilligan was beaten and his left foot was nailed to the kitchen floor with a nail gun. Prosecution counsel Tara Burns SC argued that the evidence, including a tracking device on a hired white Audi and CCTV footage, established that Heffernan was the driver of the vehicle and part of a planned assault. She noted that the Audi was parked outside the house at the time of the alleged incident and later visited the home of co-accused Gerard Mackin. Mackin (33) and Patrick Hayes (52), both of Limerick, previously admitted to the assault and were each jailed for three years. Defence counsel Ronan Munro SC contended there were significant inconsistencies in the prosecution timeline, specifically regarding the arrival of the Audi relative to eyewitness accounts of men in white suits. The case is being heard by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge John O'Hagan and Judge Ann Ryan, who will deliver the verdict on Friday.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Non-jury court to deliver verdict on Friday in nail gun assault trial. Charges or matters: assaulting Dan Quilligan causing him harm at Larch Court on September 14th, 2015. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- September 14th, 2015 Incident
- 2017-04-03 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Outcome: Last month, Mackin (33), a native of Northern Ireland with an address at Star Court, John Carey Park, Southill, Limerick and Patrick Hayes (52), Larch Court, Kennedy Park, Limerick, both admitted to the assault and were each jailed for three years.
Defendant
Charges: assaulting Dan Quilligan causing him harm at Larch Court on September 14th, 2015 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Convicted Person
Outcome: Patrick Hayes (52), Larch Court, Kennedy Park, Limerick, both admitted to the assault and were each jailed for three years.
Places mentioned
- The Special Criminal Court
- Limerick
- Kennedy Park
- Swallow Drive
- John Carew Park
- Limerick
- John Carey Park
- Larch Court house
- Mackin's house
Topics
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