Case No. 3137Assault causing serious harm, producing a knife · Co. Cork · 17 Aug 2024
William Brennan acquitted of stabbing brothers in Ballyhalwick, Co Cork
William Brennan, a 32-year-old electrical engineer, was found not guilty by a unanimous jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court of two charges of assault causing serious harm and producing a knife, relating to an incident on 17 August 2024 in which he allegedly stabbed his two brothers John and Jerry Brennan jnr at Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway, Co Cork.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court6 May
2 reports - Acquitted7 May
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports50 statements extracted from the articles
- whatWilliam Brennan, 32, of Longbridge, Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway, Co Cork, is on trial. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJohn and Jerry jnr had been doing tidying on-site. (irishtimes.com)
- whatBlood was firing out of Jerry jnr's arm. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJohn picked up a stick from the ground and hit William once, possibly twice. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTheir father Jerry snr was at the entrance to the property. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJohn denied having anything to do with the burning out of an excavator owned by William earlier that day. (irishtimes.com)
- whatWilliam Brennan denies causing serious harm to his older brothers John and Jerry jnr Brennan. (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe also pleaded not guilty to producing a knife on the same occasion. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJerry jnr Brennan said he has limited use of his left arm following the alleged stabbing. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTheir father previously signed over the property to the three brothers. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJerry jnr said William was full of venom, gritting his teeth, angry, and vicious when he arrived. (irishtimes.com)
- whatWilliam allegedly stabbed John in the chest with the knife. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJohn asked their father to call an ambulance but he refused. (irishtimes.com)
- whatUnder cross-examination, Jerry jnr denied burning out an excavator owned by William at a property in Leap, west Cork, earlier that day. (irishtimes.com)
- whatJerry jnr denied attacking William with a stone and pipe wrench in 2020, saying he acted in self defence and was found not guilty. (irishtimes.com)
- whatWilliam Brennan was found not guilty of two charges of assault causing serious harm to his brothers John and Jerry Brennan jnr (irishtimes.com)
- whatWilliam Brennan was found not guilty of producing a knife at Ballyhalwick on 17 August 2024 (irishtimes.com)
- whatWilliam Brennan was defended by senior counsel Jane Hyland (irishtimes.com)
- whatJohn Brennan testified that William stabbed him in the chest (irishtimes.com)
- whatJerry Brennan jnr testified that he had limited use of his left arm since the night of 17 August 2024 (irishtimes.com)
- whatDr Jason van der Velde assessed John Brennan at Dunmanway Community Hospital on the evening of 17 August 2024 and thought he might die from his injuries (irishtimes.com)
- whatAn excavator owned by William Brennan was burned out on 17 August 2024 (irishtimes.com)
- whatJohn Brennan had been convicted of assault after punching his father Jerry snr (irishtimes.com)
- whatJohn and Jerry Brennan jnr are both marine engineers (irishtimes.com)
- whatWilliam Brennan lives at Longbridge, Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe brothers were asked to leave the family home in 2019 (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe alleged stabbing took place at a property in Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway, Co Cork. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident took place at Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway, Co Cork (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe alleged stabbing occurred on 17 August 2024. (irishtimes.com)
- whenJohn and Jerry jnr arrived at the property between 5pm and 6pm on 17 August 2024. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe incident occurred at 7pm on 17 August 2024. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe stabbing incident occurred on 17 August 2024 (irishtimes.com)
- weaponWilliam was holding a knife. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponJerry jnr said the knife was inside William's pocket and ready to go. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeWilliam denies causing serious harm to his brothers John and Jerry Brennan jnr. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeWilliam pleaded not guilty to producing a knife on the same occasion. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is being heard at Cork Circuit Criminal Court before a jury. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe case continues on Wednesday in front of a jury. (irishtimes.com)
- courtDefence barrister Jane Hyland conducted cross-examination of John Brennan. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA judge in district court had ruled William should not be in the shared yard at the same time as his two brothers. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is being heard at Cork Circuit Criminal Court before a jury of eight men and four women. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial will continue on Thursday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial was held at Cork Circuit Criminal Court before a jury of eight men and four women (irishtimes.com)
- courtAll three verdicts were unanimous after 90 minutes of jury deliberation (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial lasted five days (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe property had been in the ownership of Jerry Brennan snr and was signed over to the three brothers a number of years before the incident. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe yard was in common ownership between the brothers. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA judge had directed that the siblings should not be in the property at the same time as William. (irishtimes.com)
- otherJohn was convicted of assault arising out of a previous incident in which he punched his father. (irishtimes.com)
- otherAll three brothers are in their 30s; John and Jerry jnr are mechanical engineers and William is an electrical engineer. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 7 May2026Man (32) who claimed he was ‘tortured’ by brothers found not guilty of stabbing
Verdict delivered after a five-day trial; all three charges (two assault causing serious harm, one producing a knife) resulted in unanimous not guilty verdicts after 90 minutes of jury deliberation. William Brennan's defence of self-defence was accepted by the jury.
accused, William Brennan, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)William Brennanvictim, John Brennan, male, irish (judged from name)John Brennanvictim, Jerry Brennan jnr, male, irish (judged from name)Jerry Brennan jnr - 6 May2026Man was ‘full of venom’ when he allegedly stabbed brother, court told
Trial evidence from Jerry jnr Brennan describing the alleged stabbing; trial ongoing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court with jury of eight men and four women.
accused, William Brennan, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)William Brennanvictim, 30s, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Jerry Brennan jnr, 30s, male, irish (judged from name)Jerry Brennan jnr - 6 May2026Scene of alleged stabbing by brother ‘like a horror film’, court told
First day of trial testimony from John Brennan describing the stabbing, the knife, and his own reaction; defence cross-examination on prior events and John's bound-to-the-peace status.
accused, William Brennan, 32, male, named, irish (judged from name)William Brennanvictim, John Brennan, male, irish (judged from name)John Brennanvictim, Jerry Brennan jnr, male, irish (judged from name)Jerry Brennan jnr