‘They took my whole life from me’ – Gran, 54, who lost eye after hammer beating by feared criminal details horror | KO47C80 | 2024-05-12 00:08:01
'They took my whole life from me' – Gran, 54, who lost eye after hammer beating by feared criminal details horror | KO47C80 | 2024-05-12 00:08:01
A BRAVE woman who lost an eye after she was repeatedly beaten with a hammer by a feared border criminal and his ex-partner has said: "They took my whole life from me."
Grandmother Margaret Griffin, 54, outlined her trauma at Dundalk Circuit Court after Gerard Stokes, 43, and mum-of-seven Samantha Campbell, 35, appeared before Judge Dara Hayes.
The court heard how the grandmother was "severely traumatised" after she was brought to a house and repeatedly beaten on December 5, 2018.
A previous hearing heard how she was targeted after Stokes claimed a package she had been minding for him was missing €30,000 worth of cocaine.
The pair were later convicted of causing serious harm to Margaret, aggravated burglary at an address at Waterville Crescent and assault with the intention of causing bodily harm to Margaret's friend.
They were also convicted of false imprisonment.
During the savage assault, the court heard how Stokes also said it was "time to finish her off".
In her victim impact statement read to Dundalk Circuit Court today, she said: "I can't look at myself anymore. I got badly assaulted for something I didn't do.
"I am dead on the inside – it kills me on the inside the way they left me. I don't want to see anyone. I am broken.
"They took my whole life from me – I used to be so outgoing but now I don't even leave the house.
"I have lost my kids and my family because I can't even look after my grandchildren.
"I don't know how they can sleep at night – I have to live like this for the rest of my life."
She also said: "I don't look at myself – it doesn't look like me.
"I sleep on a chair and am afraid of everyone. I have lost six and a half stone and I just relive this nightmare over and over.
"I have missed six years of my life and I just break down.
The court heard how Margaret was assaulted with the hammer and lost her eye and suffered a broken jaw. The court also heard how she believed she was going to die.
Hit twice in eye
She was hit twice on the right eye with a hammer, hit in the private parts, punched and had her hair pulled out.
She also told how she was told to stand on bin liners lying on the floor before being attacked.
The thug only stopped when Margaret told him the drugs were in a friend's house.
During the court hearing, Sgt Ronan Costello told the court, Stokes, who has 14 previous convictions, ordered one of his associates to dispose of the hammer and other items before driving Margaret to a house Waterville Crescent.
Previous convictions
Stokes' previous convictions include possession of drugs, blackmail, intimidation, and extortion.
Once at the home, both he and Campbell stormed into the property and assaulted the woman as Margaret followed them inside.
But as the pair were inside, a child rang 999 from an upstairs bedroom.
As Gardai responded, the pair fled on foot and left their vehicle behind.
When officers arrived at 9.20pm they discovered a silver Vauxhall Astra parked close to the property and established it was registered to Stokes.
House raid
The following day – when his home was searched – Stokes told Gardai he had parked his car outside his house at 10.30pm but later discovered it had been stolen in the early hours of December 6.
Margaret was brought to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital before being transferred to Dublin due to the serious nature of her injuries.
As the assault victim was treated for her injuries, she provided a detailed account of her ordeal to two detectives from Dundalk Garda Station.
During her interview, detectives used a camcorder to record her statement.
As part of the investigation, which was led by Det Sgt Michael Sheridan, Sgt Ronan Costello and Det Insp Martin Beggy, Stokes' car was also seized.
Evidence seized
Stokes' wallet – containing €450 – and a mobile phone were also found in the vehicle.
During the search of the property where Margaret was assaulted, Gardai recovered a mop and a bucket at the front door of Stokes' house.
Once the couple had been charged, Margaret had made the decision to withdraw her statement.
But despite attempts made by Margaret to officially withdraw her statement, Gardai persisted with the case and used Section 16 to get her statement before the court.
The legislation allows statements to be entered into evidence once the authenticity of the interview has been proven.
On this occasion, the court accepted the prosecution's assertion that the recorded interview showed that Margaret was a "willing participant" and it had been lawfully obtained.
When Margaret did appear in court in March of this year she was asked by the defence about her statement – she said: "Those are my words."
Both Stokes and Campbell were remanded in custody to a date later this month.
More >> https://ift.tt/mSOG9nq Source: MAG NEWS
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