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. 2890Assault causing harm, attempted suffocation · Co. Westmeath · 29 Apr 2024

Man pleads guilty to assaulting and attempting to suffocate partner's 84-year-old mother in Athlone nursing home

Peter Keaney, 55, pleaded guilty at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and attempting to suffocate his partner's 84-year-old mother at a nursing home in Athlone on 29 April 2024, after travelling six-and-a-half kilometres while drunk to attack her. Sentencing was adjourned to 5 December 2024.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted21 Nov
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe 84-year-old woman was attacked as she went to greet Keaney with a hug. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney hit her in the face with his fist, causing her to be stunned, and then punched her onto a chair at the side of her bed. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney put a pillow over the victim's face while she was struggling to get air. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victim slipped to the ground where Keaney repeatedly kicked her in the head. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney shouted at the victim while attacking her. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victim needed nine stitches to her head and had bruises and a sore back from being knelt on. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney travelled six-and-a-half kilometres by bus and on foot to the nursing home to carry out the attack. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney was drunk and had consumed four bottles of wine before going to the nursing home. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney told gardai at the scene that he tried to kill the victim. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney told gardai en route to Athlone Garda station that he wanted to kill her and would do it again. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney admitted to gardai that he felt the victim go limp and thought he had killed her. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney signed a Garda notebook in which his comments were recorded. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatNursing home staff forced their way through the blocked door and found the victim lying face down on the floor with a blood-covered pillow nearby. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney walked over to the bed, sat on it and waited until gardai arrived and arrested him. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney's long-term partner of more than 30 years was the victim's daughter. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe elderly woman had lived at the nursing home since 2021 and her husband also had a separate room in the home. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKeaney disclosed to gardai that he had suffered sexual abuse as a child and had gone to counselling for eight years. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe incident happened at the Sonas home, Ballymahon Road, Athlone. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe attack occurred shortly before 8 pm on 29 April 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeKeaney pleaded guilty to two counts under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act for assault causing harm and attempting to suffocate the victim by holding a pillow across her face. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Nov2024
    Convictedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Man pleads guilty to trying to suffocate partner's elderly mum in nursing home

    Plea hearing at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court; sentencing adjourned to 5 December 2024.

    victim, 84, femaleaccused, Peter Keaney, 55, male, named, irish (judged from name)Peter Keaney