Former soldier jailed for hammer attack
'COWARDLY' ASSAULT ON DROGHEDA COUPLE
A 52 YEAR old former member of the Irish army was sentenced to three years for a ' terrifying' hammer attack on a couple in their Drogheda home.
Daniel Mcglone, Flat 3 Paradise Place, pleading guilty at Dundalk Circuit Court to two counts of assault causing harm at 6 Beechwood Drive, Marleys Lane on August 22nd 2010.
The court heard that Noel Maguire and Marie Kelly had returned home after a night out. They heard dogs barking at the house next door. Marie went to the door of the house, and described the person who answered as 'very aggressive.'
Gardai were called, but they said there was nothing they could do about dogs barking.
Noel Maguire described being in the kitchen of his home a short while later when he was struck on the head from behind. He turned around and saw a man wearing a black helmet, black clothes and weilding a hammer.
Mr. Maguire said he saw through the visor that it was the accused, Daniel Mcglone, saying 'I will kill you.'
The court was told that Mr. Mcglone's family and former partner lived next door to Mr. Maguire and Ms. Kelly.
A struggle between the two men moved into the living room, and Ms. Kelly came down the stairs to find her partner standing in the hall with his shirt covered in blood.
The accused was also there with the visor on his helmet up, showing his face. She was then struck on the head up to six times, and stumbled outside where she fell on the ground.
Mr. Mcglone was standing over her shouting 'I will kill you and Noel, you won't say anything about my family.'
She said he kicked her a number of times on the inside of her leg, before getting on his motorbike and leaving the scene. An ambulance was called to the scene, and both victims were taken to hospital.
Judge Michael O'shea said Daniel Mcglone was 'motivated by animosity and intent on retribution' when he went to the couples' home.
He described this as ' an extremely cowardly and vicious attack' to hit a man on the head from behind, where he had no chance of avoiding the blows. He said the couple were ' terrified' in their own home where they expected to be safe.
Judge O'shea sentenced Daniel Mcglone to three years in prison.
