Ireland Case No. 23626Assault causing serious harm · Co. Offaly · 18 Jun 2020
Two men jailed for Edenderry assault that severed victim's finger
Craig Connolly and Sean Dillon were sentenced to a total of 15 years for assaulting Keith Dunne at JKL Street, Edenderry, in June 2020. The assault severed most of the victim's ring finger.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced7 Dec
3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports50 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe force of the blow caused the handle of the saw to come off and it severed the victim's finger. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatDunne spent 45 days in hospital and the finger was amputated a number of months after the attack. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatDunne worked as a bricklayer and could no longer do so, nor could he play guitar. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatA hooded man wearing a face mask came from across the street and struck Dunne on his hard hat. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatThe blow bounced from the hard hat onto his nose and another downward strike severed fingers on his left hand. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatThe victim was holding a barrier to prevent debris from going onto the road (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatA hooded man wearing a face mask struck the victim on his hard hat (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatThe blow bounced from the hard hat onto the victim's nose and a second strike severed fingers on his left hand (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatA further downward strike severed fingers on the victim's left hand. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whereDunne was holding a barrier at JKL Street, Edenderry, to prevent debris from going onto the road while his employer was breaking concrete on a footpath. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whereThe assault happened at JKL Street, Edenderry. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whenThe assault happened on 18 June 2020. (offalyexpress.ie)
- causeThe force of the blow caused the handle of the saw to come off and severed the victim's finger (offalyexpress.ie)
- weaponThe blade of a Japanese pull saw, 37cm long with teeth on both edges, was found at the scene. (offalyexpress.ie)
- weaponA Japanese pull saw 37cm long with teeth on both edges was found at the scene (offalyexpress.ie)
- weaponA Japanese pull saw was found at the scene. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationBlood on the saw matched the victim's. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationA palm print on the saw was identified as Connolly's. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationCCTV footage showed a white van driving around the Edenderry town centre, and the State's case was that it was scouting the location of the assault. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationBlood on the saw matched the victim's blood. (offalyexpress.ie)
- chargeConnolly was also found guilty of possession of a Japanese pull saw used in the daylight attack. (offalyexpress.ie)
- chargeConnolly was also found guilty of possession of a Japanese pull saw (offalyexpress.ie)
- chargeConnolly was also found guilty of possession of the Japanese pull saw. (offalyexpress.ie)
- courtBoth were found guilty at a Tullamore Circuit Court jury trial in May 2022. (offalyexpress.ie)
- courtBoth were found guilty at a Tullamore Circuit Court jury trial in May (offalyexpress.ie)
- courtBoth men were found guilty by a jury at Tullamore Circuit Court in May. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceConnolly was sentenced to eight years in prison including two suspended. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceDillon received a seven-year sentence with the final four years suspended. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceConnolly's sentence was backdated to 23 June 2020 and Dillon's to 5 May 2022. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceCraig Connolly was sentenced to eight years including two suspended (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceSean Dillon was sentenced to seven years with the final four years suspended (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceConnolly's sentence was backdated to 23 June 2020 (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceDillon's sentence was backdated to 5 May 2022 (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceConnolly's sentence was backdated to 23 June 2020, when he went into custody. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceDillon's sentence was backdated to 5 May, when he went into custody after the trial. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherConnolly had 46 previous convictions and Dillon had eight, the most recent dating back to 2008. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherDunne identified the attacker by a unibrow and a scar on his forehead. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherConnolly was at the time in a relationship with Sophie Judge, the mother of Dunne's child. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherSophie Judge gave alibi evidence that Connolly was with her and the child when the offence was committed. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherDillon said somebody had got into the back of his van and he had let the perpetrator into his vehicle under duress. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherA Ford Transit in which the men travelled was owned by Sean Dillon (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe victim spent 45 days in hospital and the finger was amputated months later (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe victim had worked as a bricklayer and could no longer do so or play guitar (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherConnolly had 46 previous convictions and Dillon had eight (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe victim identified the attacker by a unibrow and a scar on his forehead (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherConnolly was in a relationship with Sophie Judge, the mother of the victim's child (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherConnolly denied ever meeting the victim and said he had been drinking all day (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe victim spent 45 days in hospital and the finger was later amputated. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe judge said the offences were extremely serious and the attack was quite shocking. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherConnolly apologised for his actions at the sentencing hearing. (offalyexpress.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 11 Dec2022Two men jailed for Offaly attack which left victim without finger
Reports the sentencing of two men found guilty by a jury at Tullamore Circuit Court in May, including sentence lengths, backdating and the judge's remarks. No existing case in the list covers this incident.
convicted, Craig Connolly, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Craig Connollyconvicted, Sean Dillon, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Dillonvictim, Keith Dunne, 36, male, irish (judged from name)Keith Dunne - 7 Dec2022Men jailed for horrifying Offaly attack which left victim without finger
Provides full sentencing details including individual sentences, the victim's in-court reaction, the mechanics of the attack, the defendants' criminal histories, and trial evidence including CCTV and alibi testimony.
victim, Keith Dunne, 36, male, irish (judged from name)Keith Dunneconvicted, Craig Connolly, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Craig Connollyconvicted, Sean Dillon, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Dillon - 7 Dec2022Men jailed for Offaly attack which left victim without finger
Provides full sentencing detail: Connolly 8 years (2 suspended), Dillon 7 years (4 suspended); Connolly also convicted of possession of the saw; the saw was 37cm with teeth on both edges; blood and a palm print on the saw matched the victim and Connolly respectively; Dunne spent 45 days in hospital and the finger was amputated months later; Connolly had 46 previous convictions, Dillon 8; the victim shouted 'He's laughing at me' after the sentences were announced; Connolly's sentence backdated to 23 June 2020, Dillon's to 5 May 2022.
victim, Keith Dunne, 36, male, irish (judged from name)Keith Dunneconvicted, Craig Connolly, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Craig Connollyconvicted, Sean Dillon, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Dillon