Castlebar woman assaulted niece and then posted video of it online
Judge Eoin Garavan wondered if the posting online of criminal assaults was a new 'craze'.
A woman who assaulted her niece and then posted a video of the incident on social media has received a suspended jail term.
Ellen Sweeney, aged 35, of 35 Lios na Circe, Castlebar pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Eleanor Maughan, aged 21, and using threatening or abusive language.
Sgt Conor McHale told the court that Ms Maughan arrived at Castlebar Garda Station on April 1, 2021, and told Gda Niamh Neary that she had been walking past a pharmacy in Castlebar when she saw the car belonging to her grandfather Michael Sweeney. She did not see anyone in the car and thought her grandfather was in the pharmacy. Suddenly, she was attacked by her aunt Ellen Sweeney, who punched her and pulled her hair while videoing the incident. She claimed her grandfather encouraged the attack. He was charged with using threatening or abusive language but was not convicted.
Gda Neary advised Ms Maughan to seek medical attention before returning to the station to make a statement. The victim presented at Mayo University Hospital with headaches, two episodes of vomiting and said she lost consciousness for two minutes. She had two small bruises in her front temple area.
In a victim impact statement, Ms Maughan said she was "cowering on the ground, begging for [Sweeney] to stop".
"I never imagined my aunt would do this to me," she said.
Ms Maughan said she continued to suffer nightmares as a result of the incident and sometimes awoke "gasping for air". She felt humiliated after the video was posted on social media, adding that Sweeney had "ruined" her life.
The defendant has no previous convictions. The video she posted online was played in court by the defence barrister Martin Durack. It showed Ms Maughan’s hair being pulled but no punches were thrown. Mr Durack added that the medical reports were consistent with hair-pulling rather than punches.
The barrister said his client is unemployed but takes care of her parents. He was instructed that Ms Maughan had also posted provocative items on social media regarding his client, which was the catalyst for this incident.
“It was a clumsy attempt to redeem her good name,” he said.
Judge Eoin Garavan said Sweeney should have more sense at 35 years of age. Her decision to post a video of the assault on social media was an aggravating factor and he asked whether this type of behaviour was a new"‘craze".
“We already have people showing us every meal they eat on social media and now we have to see criminal assaults taking place,” he remarked.
Judge Garavan said there was no evidence in the medical report or on the video of any punches being thrown and accepted there was an element of provocation involved. He imposed a three-month jail sentence but agreed to suspend it.
“I suggest that the two parties do not escalate things as a result of this court case,” he concluded.
