Ireland Case No. 16407Cruelty to children · Co. Limerick · 10 Jul 2019
Limerick man jailed for child cruelty against two girls and a boy
David Daly, 37, of Castle Park, Dooradoyle, Limerick, was charged with three counts of cruelty to children after Gardaí were alerted in the early hours of 10 July 2019 to screams from a house. The charges covered offences against three children, aged between 10 and 14 depending on the account, between 1 January 2018 and 10 July 2019. He pleaded guilty before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court and was remanded on bail for sentence. On 31 July 2024 Judge Dermot Sheehan jailed him, with reports giving a three-year sentence and a four-and-a-half-year term with the last 18 months suspended, and ordered him to engage with probation for 18 months after release.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Convicted30 Jul
- Sentenced31 Jul
2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Daly punched two girls in the face with a closed fist and pushed a 13-year-old boy into a lake.
- Daly punched and slapped the three children, called them names and demeaned them with verbal abuse.
- The two girls were taken to University Hospital Limerick for treatment, and one girl's left eye was swollen and bruised.
- When
- The offences occurred on dates between 1 January 2018 and 10 July 2019.
- Gardaí were alerted in the early hours of 10 July 2019 after neighbours reported blood-curdling screams.
- Where
- The offences took place in a house in Limerick, and two younger children living there were not harmed.
- Other details
- The three victims were aged between 12 and 14 at the time according to one report, aged 10, 11 and 12 according to another, and aged 14, 12 and 13 according to a third.
- Daly initially denied having anything to do with the children's injuries, and the court heard he has a history of anger issues.
- All three victims gave victim impact statements and said they had been physically and emotionally traumatised.
- Investigation
- Gardaí found a chaotic scene with a considerable amount of blood and a hysterical young girl, and the three children later gave statements.
- Charges
- Daly was charged with and pleaded guilty to three counts of cruelty to children under the Children Act, 2001.
- In court
- Daly pleaded guilty before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court and was remanded on bail for sentence.
- Judge Dermot Sheehan imposed reporting restrictions, which were lifted at sentencing on 31 July 2024, allowing Daly to be identified.
- Sentence
- Daly was sentenced to three years in prison, with one report giving concurrent three-year terms, a consecutive 18-month term, and the last 18 months of a four-and-a-half-year sentence suspended.
- The judge ordered Daly to engage with probation services for 18 months after his release from prison.
36 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe man punched both girls in the face using a closed fist and an elbow. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatThe man assaulted the three victims by slapping and punching them. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatThe three children were aged between 12 and 14 at the time. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatThe two girls and an older female were treated in hospital for injuries sustained on the night. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatDaly punched and slapped the children and called them names. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatThe man pleaded guilty to three counts of cruelty to children. (limerickleader.ie)
- whatThe man punched two girls, aged 14 and 12, with a closed fist into their faces. (limerickleader.ie)
- whatThe man pushed a 13-year-old boy into a lake. (limerickleader.ie)
- whatOne of the girls had difficulty seeing out of her left eye because it was swollen and bruised. (limerickleader.ie)
- whereThe guilty plea was entered before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereDaly was taken to Limerick Prison to begin his three-year sentence. (limerickpost.ie)
- whenGardaí were alerted in the early hours of July 10, 2019. (limerickpost.ie)
- whenThe offences occurred on dates between 1 January 2018 and 10 July 2019. (limerickpost.ie)
- whenThe offending period ran from January 2018 to July 2019. (limerickleader.ie)
- whenThe garda involvement began in the early hours of 10 July 2019. (limerickleader.ie)
- investigationThe man was arrested and charged after the three victims gave statements to Gardaí. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationThe woman told Gardaí she had self-harmed and that she had assaulted the children. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationDaly was apprehended by Gardaí after his three victims told investigators that he had assaulted them. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationGardaí were dispatched after reports that a young female child had been assaulted. (limerickleader.ie)
- chargeThe man pleaded guilty to three counts of child cruelty. (limerickpost.ie)
- chargeDaly pleaded guilty to three separate counts of cruelty to children under the Children Act, 2001. (limerickpost.ie)
- courtJudge Dermot Sheehan imposed reporting restrictions. (limerickpost.ie)
- courtThe man was remanded on continuing bail for sentence on July 31. (limerickpost.ie)
- courtThe case was heard at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court. (limerickpost.ie)
- courtThe case was heard at Limerick Circuit Court. (limerickleader.ie)
- sentenceDaly received a three-year sentence for two of the victims and a consecutive 18-month sentence for the third, which was fully suspended. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceThe judge ordered Daly to engage with probation services for 18 months after his release from prison. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceThe judge imposed concurrent three-year sentences for cruelty to the two girls and a consecutive 18-month sentence for cruelty to the boy. (limerickleader.ie)
- sentenceThe judge suspended the last 18 months of the four and a half year jail sentence. (limerickleader.ie)
- otherThe two younger children in the house were not harmed. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherThe man initially denied having anything to do with the children's injuries. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherThe court heard the man has a history of anger issues. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherThe court heard that the man was responsible for harming the children. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherThe three victims said they had been physically and emotionally traumatised by the man. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherThe sentencing was reported on 31 July 2024. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherThe girls were taken to University Hospital Limerick for treatment. (limerickleader.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 31 Jul2024‘Evil person’ who punched girls aged 12 and 14 with closed fist jailed at Limerick court
Sentencing report from Limerick Circuit Court on 31 July 2024. Adds the sentence details, the victims' impact statements, and the court's description of the abuse as a year and a half of physical and emotional abuse.
convicted, malevictim, 14, femalevictim, 12, femalevictim, 13, male - 31 Jul2024'Evil' Limerick man who beat and punched children jailed
First report of this case in the list. It identifies the convicted man, gives the sentence, a suspended portion and a probation order, and states the victims' ages (10, 11 and 12) and the date range of the offences.
- 30 Jul2024‘The most horrible screams I’ve ever heard’: Man who beat and ridiculed children to be sentenced
Reports the guilty plea, the evidence given in court, and the remand on bail pending sentence on 31 July 2024.
convicted, malevictim, 12 to 14 at the timevictim, 12 to 14 at the timevictim, 12 to 14 at the time