Man who left victim bleeding following late night attack in own home in the Midlands is jailed

A man who contested a charge of assault was found guilty of the offence by a jury at Longford Circuit Court and sentenced to two years and three months in prison.

Hughie Nevin (42), of Grian Ard, Ardnacassa, Longford, contested a charge that on May 13 2021 at 24 Canal Court, Longford he assaulted the now deceased Gerry Forde.

The first State witness Garda Keith O'Brien related to the court the happenings on the date. The officer was on duty when he was called to an incident at 5am.

Garda O'Brien described the victim, Gerry Forde as a man who “kept to himself”. Originally from Mullingar Mr Forde lived in Longford for 20 years. He had “mobility issues” and had to use a crutch to walk.

The officer said the victim passed away peacefully in hospital in December '21, and that his death was unrelated to the assault before the court.

The witness said he arrived at Canal Court as two paramedics were wheeling the victim out of his house on a stretcher and into an ambulance. The officer said Mr Forde was bleeding heavily from a cut to his head. Garda O'Brien spoke to him in the rear of the ambulance, with the victim stating he was assaulted by Hughie Nevin.

The garda said two people, Patrick and Shandell Nevin, were in the garden of Mr Forde's house and that Mr Nevin had called 999 about a serious injury to the defendant's head.

The following night when Garda O'Brien started on duty he arrested Hughie Nevin. The defendant was interviewed and the following morning charged with the assault.

Under cross examination by counsel for Nevin, Andrea Callen BL, Garda O'Brien confirmed Gerry Forde, Patrick Nevin and Hughie Nevin had been drinking on the evening before the assault. He agreed the victim was “disorientated” but said he could not confirm if Mr Forde was intoxicated or not.

In evidence Garda Alan Doherty outlined taking statements from Patrick and Shandell Nevin on the night. The witnesses claimed Hughie Nevin had assaulted Mr Forde, but said they were asleep when the attack happened. The officer also said there was “evidence of drinking” around the house.

Witness Shandell Nevin outlined visiting the victim: “My husband knew him for years, he was a nice man,” she said.

Ms Nevin said the men were drinking cans and at around 4:30am Gerry Forde offered to let the couple stay in his house.

Ms Nevin said she got up some time later to go to the bathroom and found the homeowner in the front room shaking and covered in blood: “Patrick called the emergency number on my phone. He put a towel on his head to stop the bleeding.”

The evidence of Patrick Nevin in the witness box was that he was drinking cans earlier in the day with Hughie Nevin and Gerry Forde. He went to bed at 11pm. Some time later he heard a noise and when he got up he found Mr Forde bleeding. He called an ambulance on his wife's phone.

Ms Callen asked the witness to clarify what time he went to bed, 11pm or 4:30am as his wife had stated. Mr Nevin replied: “I'm not good on me calculators. I had a lot of drink and wouldn't have a great recollection.”

A medical report handed in to court indicated there were three lacerations to Mr Forde's head. A recording of the call by Patrick Nevin was played for the jury. In it the caller said the man was: “Very, very bleeding.”

He also said: “The man who assaulted him is gone,” and later, “he's some mad ba***rd.”

The victim was put on to speak to the emergency services and said: “I was probably assaulted.”

The interview Hughie Nevin gave in Longford Garda Station on the night after the assault was read into the court record. He admitted drinking heavily, but said “I could drink 20 cans in a day and I'd be sound.”

The defendant admitted hitting Gerry Forde, saying Mr Forde hit him with the crutch on the back and so he took the crutch and hit him on the head. He said he saw a little blood on Mr Forde's head and so left the house.

The defendant said he drank a bottle of Buckfast earlier in the day as well as four cans of larger, he went on to drink almost 20 cans of cider in Gerry Forde's house.

Ms Callen said of the interview that it was “very expanse and forthright”.

After a short deliberation by the jury they returned a verdict of guilty.

During the sentencing hearing Judge Connolly noted that Nevin had 66 previous convictions, but also noted that Gardaí said: “When not under the influence of alcohol he is a mild mannered and co-operative individual.”

The defendant handed a letter in to the judge after his conviction saying: “I have a drink problem. I haven't slept because this is always on my mind. I never meant it to happen. I want to be a better person in life and society. I want to get help for my drinking.”

The judge set a headline sentence at two years and nine months for the charge. Mitigation allowed him to suspend the last six month of the sentence. The defendant must now serve two years and three months in prison for the offence.