TWO BROTHERS HAVE been charged in connection with a bank holiday stabbing, for which the victim needed 500 stitches to his head, neck and back, a court heard today.
Daniel Harty (19) and Martin Harty (20) both of Lisheen Park, Patrickswell, Co Limerick, were each charged with assault causing harm to their brother-in-law, Seamus Byrnes, at Church Road, Ballycummin, last Saturday on 28 October.
Gardaí said the alleged incident was linked to a long running feud between the three men’s families.
During a bail application for Daniel Harty, Garda Dave Godfrey, Roxboro Road station, alleged, “such was the extent of (Mr Byrnes) injuries”, that gardaí immediately took a “dying declaration” from him, in which he told them who his alleged attackers were.
Garda Godfrey said Byrnes had been “slashed and stabbed a number of times” and the wounds were “focused to his head” area.
He said Byrnes alleged that Daniel Harty and Martin Harty, along with third individual not before the court, had attacked him with weapons including “a knife”, “a machete” and “a wooden stick”.
The court heard that, later on 28 October, gardaí took a detailed 13-page statement from Byrnes from his hospital bed.
“He had serious wounds to his head and neck, but he was able to talk,” Garda Godfrey said.
The garda told the court he believed Daniel Harty would commit further serious offences, if granted bail.
“longstanding dislikes”
He alleged “longstanding dislikes” between the family of the accused men and the family of the alleged victim had “escalated in the past number of months, involving incidents, both locally, and in Dublin”.
He said the situation was “extremely volatile” and that the families all reside in the same housing estate.
Godfrey said the alleged stabbing was part of a “feud” between the families.
He said he believed Daniel Harty would “pursue” matters and that, if he was granted bail, “loss of life may occur”.
Byrnes is still being treated in hospital, gardaí said.
Judge Mary Larkin refused bail for Daniel Harty, and remanded him in custody to appear before Limerick District Court via videolink, on Tuesday 31 October.
Martin Harty was remanded in custody to appear before the court for a bail application on the same day.
Daniel and Martin Harty were also charged with violent disorder, in which they allegedly attacked Byrnes with weapons in front of his wife and young child, at Punches Cross, Limerick, on 10 October last, the court heard.
The father of the two accused men, Jimmy Harty, (46), also of Lisheen Park, Patrickswell, was charged with one count of violent disorder at Punches Cross, on 10 October last.
Jimmy Harty was remanded in custody to appear before the District Court again on Tuesday 31 October for a bail application.
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