Plumber who broke mans skull avoids prison

A Dublin plumber who broke a mans skull with a claw hammer after finding him in his former partners bed has avoided a jail sentence.

Simon Early of Old Brazil Way, Swords, got a suspended sentence for the attack which left the victim with a 2.7cm fracture in his skull.

Early, aged 27, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to David Griffin at Ashton Rise, Swords, on October 22, 2011.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him to two-and-a-half years in prison but suspended it in full on condition Early keeps the peace for 12 months.

She accepted the attack was out of character and that Early was sorry, but said he could have caused permanent or fatal injury. A probation report said theres a low risk of him reoffending.

Garda David Smith told Anne Rowland, prosecuting, that Early had been dropping their two-year old daughter to the home of his former partner Bethany Hourigan.

The court heard there had been an agreement between the estranged couple that no man would stay at the house while the child was there.

Early went upstairs to find Mr Griffin in bed. He went away, returning with a claw-hammer that he was swinging at Mr Griffins head.

The hammer hit his head and Mr Griffin shouted: Youre going to kill me, to which Early responded: I dont fucking care.

Mr Griffin told garda he was not keen for a custodial sentence to be imposed on Early as he was a father.

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Plumber who broke mans skull avoids prison