Francis Costello

Mar 6, 2022

John Paul Carey of Dunmanus Crescent in Knocknaheeny, Cork City, is charged with assault causing harm to Francis Costello at a house on Connolly Rd in Ballyphehane on the southside of Cork City on Friday Investigating gardaí told Cork District Court that Mr Costello incurred serious injuries and may lose an eye after he was attacked in his home. File picture: David Creedon / Anzenberger      Olivia Kelleher A 34-year-old man has been granted bail after he was charged in connection with a “corrosive fluid” attack at a house in Ballyphehane in Cork City last Friday night. John Paul Carey of Dunmanus Crescent in Knocknaheeny, Cork City is charged with assault causing harm to Francis Costello at a house on Connolly Rd in Ballyphehane on the southside of Cork City on Friday. The charge is contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. Investigating gardaí told Cork District Court that Mr Costello incurred serious injuries and may lose an eye after he was attacked in his home. Detective Garda Maurice O’Connor gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Mr Carey who works on a building site. He said that Mr Carey made no reply when the charge was put to him under caution at the Bridewell Garda Station in Cork City yesterday evening at 6.42pm. Det Garda O’Connor objected to bail arising out of the serious nature of the charge. He said that it was an indictable offence which carried a maximum five-year prison sentence. He told Judge John King that Mr Costello opened his door at 8.22pm on Friday and was met by a man who threw a suspected corrosive fluid in his direction. Two of his brothers were in the house at the time. The court heard that one of the brothers also incurred serious injuries in the incident at the house and is in danger of losing his sight. Garda O’Connor stated that the attack had caused “devastation to him [Mr Costello] and his brother.”  Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said that his client was in gainful employment as a machine driver on a building site. He added that his client was making €600 or €700 a week and asked that he be remanded on bail in the case. Judge King granted bail in the case with stringent conditions attached. Mr Carey was warned that he was to have no contact, indirect or direct, with the alleged injured party, his immediate family, or any witnesses. He is also to stay in the north side of the city except for when he is in Maryborough Hill in Rochestown on Cork’s southside for work. Mr Carey has to obey a curfew from 9pm to 6am daily. He has to sign on three times a week at Gurranabraher Garda Station on the northside of the city. He also has to be contactable to gardaí on his phone 24 hours a day. Judge King warned Mr Carey that he was also forbidden from contacting the alleged injured party, his family, or witnesses on social media. Mr Carey was remanded on bail on his own bond of €700 until May 12 next at Cork District Court for DPP directions.