Courts / Dublin / Report
Man with brain injury bent his mother's finger until it broke
Summary
A man with a brain injury from a meat cleaver attack, Wayne McCauley, has been jailed for 18 months for assaulting his mother by bending her finger until it broke. McCauley, 31, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after a row with his mother, who was 63 at the time. The court was told that McCauley grabbed his mother's hand and bent her finger until it cracked, resulting in a fractured metatarsal. He was arrested and made full admissions, stating he was coming down from drugs at the time. McCauley has a long history of previous convictions, predominantly for public order and attempted robberies. His defense highlighted his brain injury and inability to deal with stress, but Judge Martin Nolan noted his long history of offending and sentenced him to 18 months. The judge acknowledged McCauley's remorse but emphasized the cruelty of the act towards his mother. The suspended sentence was given with the hope that McCauley would not hurt his mother again.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man with brain injury bent his mother's finger until it broke. Charges or matters: assault causing harm on June 17, 2023. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 17, 2023 Incident
- July 11, 2023 Incident
- March 2023 Incident
- 2025-12-05 Publication
Why: By Niamh O'Donoghue A man with a brain injury from a meat cleaver attack, who bent his mother's finger, breaking a bone in her hand, because she was pointing at him, has been jailed for 18 months. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: assault causing harm on June 17, 2023 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Martin Nolan described McCauley's attack on his mother as "a disgraceful thing for her son to do" before jailing him for 18 months. But the judge said it was a "cruelty he did to his mother" and jailed him for 18 months.; Wayne McCauley (31) was "viciously attacked by a meat cleaver" in the late 2010s, and a psychology report stated "some of the brain fell out and had to be put back in", the court was told.
Places mentioned
Topics
Drugs Public Order Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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