Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 7061Assault causing serious harm (chemical attack) · Co. Cork · 4 Mar 2022

Cork man jailed for chemical attack that cost victim an eye

On March 4, 2022, shortly after 8pm, John Paul Carey (35) threw caustic soda at Francis Costello (40) and assaulted him at Connolly Road, Ballyphehane, Cork city, and Francis Costello lost his left eye. Carey also doused Francis Costello's brothers, John and Roy Costello, with the liquid. Carey pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court earlier in 2023 to assault causing serious harm to Francis Costello and to assaulting John and Roy Costello. In November 2023, Judge James McCourt sentenced Carey; one report gives a ten-year sentence with the final six months suspended, another gives nine and a half years, and the sentence was backdated to April 2022.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced20 Nov
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • John Paul Carey (35) threw caustic soda in the face of Francis Costello (40) and assaulted him at his home in Cork.
  • Francis Costello lost his left eye and had it removed in October 2023 after multiple procedures and surgeries.
  • Carey also doused John and Roy Costello with the liquid; John lost ten percent of vision in his right eye and twenty percent in his left, and Roy received chemical burns to his forearms and arms.
Where
The attack happened at Connolly Road in Ballyphehane, Cork city.
When
The attack happened shortly after 8pm on March 4, 2022.
Weapon
One report describes the liquid as acid, while forensic analysis found it contained sodium hydroxide, which is caustic soda.
Investigation
Gardaí found an empty bottle of drain cleaner nearby, and Carey refused to identify the liquid when gardaí called to his home.
Charges
Carey pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Francis Costello and to assaulting John and Roy Costello.
In court
Carey pleaded guilty earlier in 2023 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, where the sentencing was also heard.
Sentence
Judge James McCourt imposed a ten-year sentence with the final six months suspended, which one report describes as nine and a half years in custody, backdated to April 2022 when Carey first went into custody.
Other details
  • The prosecution said the DPP believed the appropriate sentence was between 10 and 15 years.
  • Carey had 99 previous convictions and was under a suspended portion of a four-and-a-half-year sentence from 2020 when the assaults happened.
  • Carey was the relatively new partner of Francis Costello's ex-girlfriend, and Francis Costello had to give up his job in retail.
35 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA man threw caustic soda in Francis Costello's face and attacked him at his home in Cork. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatFrancis Costello lost his left eye. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatCarey threw a corrosive liquid in the face of Francis Costello. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatCarey assaulted Francis Costello while he lay on the ground. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatCarey also doused John and Roy Costello with the liquid. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatFrancis Costello lost an eye in the attack. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatJohn Costello lost ten percent of vision in his right eye and twenty percent in his left. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatRoy Costello received chemical burns to his forearms and arms. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whereThe assault happened at Connolly Road, Ballyphehane. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe attack happened at Connolly Road in Ballyphehane, Cork city. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whenThe assault happened on March 4th, 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe attack happened shortly after 8 pm on March 4, 2022. (corkbeo.ie)
  • weaponCaustic soda was thrown in the victim's face. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponThe liquid was sodium hydroxide, which is caustic soda. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found an empty bottle of drain cleaner nearby. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationForensic analysis found the bottle contained sodium hydroxide or caustic soda. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí found a bottle for unclogging drains outside the property. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationCarey refused to identify the liquid when gardaí called to his home. (corkbeo.ie)
  • chargeCarey also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Costello's brothers, John and Roy. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeCarey pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Francis Costello. (corkbeo.ie)
  • chargeCarey also pleaded guilty to assaulting John and Roy Costello. (corkbeo.ie)
  • courtCarey pleaded guilty earlier in 2023 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing serious harm to Costello. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe sentencing was heard at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. (corkbeo.ie)
  • sentenceCarey was jailed for nine and a half years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge set the sentence at ten years and suspended the final six months. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to April 2022, when Carey first went into custody. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJudge James McCourt imposed a ten-year sentence on Carey, suspending the last six months. (corkbeo.ie)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to when Carey first entered custody over the matter. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherCarey had 99 previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe prosecution said the DPP believed the appropriate sentence was between 10 and 15 years. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherCostello had to have his eye removed in October 2023. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherFrancis Costello had to give up his job in retail. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherCarey was the relatively new partner of Francis Costello's ex-girlfriend. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherCarey has 99 previous convictions. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherCarey was under a suspended portion of a four-and-a-half-year sentence from 2020 when he carried out the assaults. (corkbeo.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Nov2023
    Sentencedcorkbeo.ie, first report
    Cork man jailed for 'cowardly' chemical attack which led to loss of victim's eye

    Reports the sentencing of John Paul Carey for the March 2022 chemical attack. No existing case in the list matches this incident.

    victim, Francis Costello, 40, male, irish (judged from name)Francis Costellovictim, John Costello, male, irish (judged from name)John Costellovictim, Roy Costello, male, irish (judged from name)Roy Costelloconvicted, John Paul Carey, 35, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Paul Carey
  2. 20 Nov2023
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man tells how he hoped he would die after attacker threw caustic soda in face and eyes

    Reports the sentencing of John Paul Carey, including the judge's sentence of ten years with the final six months suspended, the backdating to April 2022, his 99 previous convictions, and victim impact statements from Francis Costello.

    convicted, John Paul Carey, 35, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Paul Careyvictim, Francis Costello, 40, male, irish (judged from name)Francis Costellovictim, John Costello, male, irish (judged from name)John Costellovictim, Roy Costello, male, irish (judged from name)Roy Costello