James O’Neill jailed for 11½ years for serious harm assault

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

James O’Neill was jailed for 11 and a half years for causing serious harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with sentence passed on 29 July 2024.

The jury convicted O’Neill of causing serious harm to Patrick Hansard in a stairwell near Hansard’s home in Dublin on 17 August 2019. O’Neill had taken a photograph of himself wearing a mask and holding a shovel in the stairwell before the assault.

Judge Elva Duffy set a headline sentence of 13 years and reduced it to 11 and a half years after considering mitigating factors. She noted O’Neill had lain in wait and used a weapon, while also taking account of historical convictions and intoxication.

Hansard suffered skull fractures, a cervical spine fracture and a traumatic brain injury. He remained in hospital from August 2019 to May 2020 and continued to experience impairments and difficulties in daily life.