A man, who attacked and tried to suffocate his partner's elderly mother with a pillow in a nursing home has been jailed for three and a half years. Judge Keenan Johnson described Peter Keaney as being "like a man possessed" during the incident at the Sonas retirement home, Ballymahon Road, Athlone, Co. Westmeath on the April 29. At Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court today Judge Johnson said it was a tragic and unprecedented case and Keaney, who was drunk at the time, "clearly intended to murder the victim".
Until then, they had a strong and loving relationship, and the 85-year-old woman went to give him a hug when she was suddenly attacked. The former carer and theatre carpenter pleaded guilty to two counts under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act for assault causing harm, and attempting to suffocate the victim by holding a pillow across her face. Judge Johnson said Keaney's victim was traumatised and her family were inherently decent people, but their lives were catastrophically affected when the accused assaulted the pensioner.
The court heard that father of two Keaney turned to binge drinking and cannabis in recent years, and it stemmed from being sexually abused as a child. The judge found that there were elements of premeditation to the assault because Keaney travelled 6.5km to the nursing home. Reports showed no evidence of him having a psychiatric disorder, but at the time, he had a "distorted thinking pattern", and he had been drunk, which led to an utterly mistaken belief that his partner had been abused.
Judge Johnson imposed a sentence of four years and six months, but to foster rehabilitation, he suspended the final 12 months on condition Keaney did not reoffend for six years. He was also ordered to stay off drinking and drugs, provide urine analysis when requested and remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for 18 months after his release from prison. He expressed remorse for what he described as an awful act.
The court heard the 55 year old "hit her in the face with his fist, causing her to be stunned, before punching her onto a chair at the side of her bed." Evidence before the court stated he began drinking wine shortly after 11 am and had consumed four bottles before going to the nursing home. The victim needed nine stitches to her head and had bruises and a sore back from being knelt on as she struggled with the pillow on her face. Judge Johnson singled out the nursing home staff who intervened for praise, saying their action could have avoided a much more serious offence.
