John Norwood

A British Army colour sergeant has been jailed for eight years for a "horrifying" machete attack on a fellow soldier as it was revealed that he had previously served time for the culpable homicide of his uncle.

A jury at Portsmouth Crown Court convicted 39-year-old John Norwood, of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, of the wounding with intent of Lance Sergeant James Warnock at Mons barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire, on July 11 last year.

David Richards, prosecuting, said the attack sliced L/Sgt Warnock's shoulder and also caused an injury to the nerves of his left hand, meaning he could no longer hold a weapon and faces a possible medical discharge from the Army.

Sentencing Norwood, Judge James Townsend said he took into account the defendant's "exemplary" service in the Army and added : "The injury suffered was a horrific one and caused him long-term distress and may lead to his discharge or movement in the Army."

In a statement read to the court, L/Sgt Warnock, who has served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, said: "I have known danger and faced enemy troops during these tours; the attack on me by John Norwood left me terrified for my own safety in my own camp environment where I should be safe and secure."

He added: "I can only describe how I felt as horrifying. Seeing my mum think she might lose her son was perhaps more upsetting than the assault."

The court was told that Norwood, a father of two, was previously jailed for 18 months in 1996 for the culpable homicide of a man who died after he fell from a balcony during a fight with the defendant.

The incident involved Norwood's uncle, Matthew Houston, at a flat in Glasgow.

The court heard that Norwood was not judged to be wholly responsible for the 35-year-old's death because he had refused medical treatment for his injuries.

The court was also told that Norwood was jailed for two years in March 2000 for three counts of wounding following a pub fight in Burnley.

Alistair Wright, defending, said Norwood had written a letter to the judge expressing his regret for the barracks attack.

He added: "This is a loss to the Army and, through that, a loss to the rest of us because, but for these events, this is someone you would want looking after your country."

Prosecutor Mr Richards told the trial that the attack at Mons barracks followed a confrontation in The George pub in Aldershot town centre during which L/Sgt Warnock punched the defendant to the ground.

He said Norwood, angered by his wounded pride, returned to the barracks to retrieve a machete and went searching for L/Sgt Warnock.

At about 3am, he went to the wrong room and swung the machete at the bed of 24-year-old Craftsman Nicholas Wood and about two hours later found L/Sgt Warnock's room where he attacked him.

Norwood, of Priesthill Road, Pollok, Glasgow, told the trial that he had taken the machete "to put the fear of God into" L/Sgt Warnock.

Patrick Hutch

Patrick Hutch Jnr, who is accused of murdering David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin last February, has been returned for trial to the non-jury Special Criminal Court.

David Byrne (34) from Crumlin in Dublin was shot dead during a boxing weigh-in at the hotel on February 5th by a gang of heavily armed raiders. 

In May, at Dublin District Court, Patrick Hutch (24) of Champions Avenue, Dublin 1, was charged with the murder of Mr Byrne.

Later, he was further charged with possessing three AK47 assault rifles in connection with the fatal shooting.

The two charges, under the Firearms Act, allege that he unlawfully possessed three 7.62 X 39mm assault rifles and had them with intent to endanger life at the Regency Hotel on February 5th last. 

Today, at the Special Criminal Court, State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan said that the DPP was applying to the court to make an order under Section 49 of the Offences Against the State Act that the accused man be tried before the Special Criminal Court.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge Cormac Dunne, made the order.

Mr O'Donovan then asked the court to issue a body warrant to have Mr Hutch, who is currently in custody, produced at the Special Criminal Court on a day set out in the warrant. 

Eamonn Cumberton in 2003

A Dublin man accused of the murder of Michael Barr last April has been returned for trial to the Special Criminal Court.

Eamonn Cumberton (29) of Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, is charged with the murder of 35-year old Mr Barr in the Sunset House pub in Dublin’s north inner city on April 25th last. 

Michael Barr

The Special Criminal Court heard today/yesterday (Mon) that the State was making an application to try the accused man at the three-judge, non-jury court.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge Cormac Dunne, made the order, directing that Mr Cumberton be tried before the Special Criminal Court.

Charles Cleary

A 23-YEAR-OLD student is to stand trial accused of the murder of his friend Leo Carolan who died following a stabbing at his flat in Dublin.

Gardai launched a murder investigation after the budding 25-year-old DJ from Dun Laoghaire was stabbed to death at his home on the South Circular Road last Tuesday.

Mr Carolan was a second-year student at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) where he had been studying creative music technology.

Leo Carolan

He was living in his apartment at South Circular Road for some time after returning from France. He had studied Anthropology at Universite Lumiere in Lyon before continuing his education at IADT.

A second man, Swiss national Ludovic Thomas, was found injured on the road outside and was rushed to hospital with serious knife wounds.

Student Charles Cleary, 23, who is currently of no fixed abode but understood to be from the Rathfarnham area in south Dublin, had been arrested on Saturday and held at Kevin Street Garda Station.

He was detained there under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act. He was charged with murdering Mr Carolan and with assault causing harm to Mr Thomas before he was brought to appear before Judge John Brennan at Dublin District Court on Monday afternoon.

Dressed in a black hooded Adidas sweater, black tracksuit bottoms and white runners, he sat silently with his hands in his pockets as the evidence of his arrest charge and caution was given.

Det Sergeant Adrian Whitelaw of Kevin St station, told Judge Brennan that the accused was charged with both offences at 11.14am on Monday. “I cautioned him and in reply he he had nothing to say,” said Det Sergeant Whitelaw before he applied to have the accused remanded in custody.

Judge Brennan noted there was a murder charge and agreed to order the remand in custody. 

He also acceded to a request from defence solicitor Tracy Horan to ask the prison authorities to seek a psychiatric assessment of the defendant who did not address the court. He also allowed her application for a second, independent psychiatric assessment of him to be carried out.

The judge remanded Mr Cleary in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Friday.

He noted from a statement of means furnished to the court by Ms Horan that the 23-year-old was a student, and he granted free legal aid.

Due to the murder charge, the district court cannot grant bail meaning he will have to make an application to the High Court to get released pending trial. He has not yet entered a plea to the charges and a book of evidence has yet to be prepared.

Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley

The family of a 64-year-old who was murdered by three men after they broke into his home have spoken for the first time of their shock and horror at the brutality of his death.

A sentencing hearing at the Central Criminal Court for the three men convicted of murdering Thomas 'Toddy' Dooley heard the family statement today.

The dead man's four sisters Catherine Darby, Cora McAuley, Ann Finnegan and Rose Murphy, niece Denise Murphy and nephews John and William Murphy said they were "horrified and shocked at the cruel and heartless way he was brutally taken from us and his family never got the chance to say goodbye."

They said no family should go through what they suffered and that they hoped for justice. The brief statement concluded: "We hope his death was not in vain."

Matthew Cummins (22), of Churchview Heights, Edenderry, Co Offaly was convicted of Mr Dooley's murder on August 5 last. His co-accused Sean Davy, (22), of Clonmullen Drive, Edenderry, and James Davy (25), of Thornhill Meadows, Celbridge, Co Kildare were convicted on August 4.

The trial heard that Mr Dooley suffered eight blows to the head with a baseball bat that smashed his skull and disfigured his face. 

Detective Garda Joseph Bradley today told the court that all three men had previous convictions. Matthew Cummins, he said, has 69, dating back to August 2008.

The convictions range from arson to burglary, criminal damage, trespassing, public disorder and theft. In December 2014 he was sentenced to four years with two suspended for arson.

Sean Davy has seven previous including for assault and burglary while James Davy has 21 previous including motoring offences, criminal damage, assault and possession of a knife.

Before sentencing Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan said the murder was a "brutal, motiveless attack on this defenceless elderly man."

She first asked Mr Cummins to stand up and sentenced him to the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. The judge then called Sean Davy and lastly James Davy, on whom she imposed the same sentence. She backdated all three sentences to take into account any time they had spent in custody awaiting trial since 24 November 2014, when the three were first charged.

The court also heard that Sean Davy and James Davy had penned apologies to Mr Dooley's family. Barrister for Sean Davy, Ronan Munro SC, said his client has thought long and hard about what happened. His letter acknowledged that he couldn't bring Mr Dooley back and added: "I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart."

Padraig O'Dwyer SC, acting on behalf of James Davy said his client is sorry that he was present when Mr Dooley was attacked.

"It goes through my head every day," the apology read. "I am very saddened by the death of Mr Dooley and that I didn't do anything to stop it." He concluded: "May his body and soul rest in peace."

The trial heard that Sean Davy and James Davy had met in Mangan's Pub earlier on the evening of February 11 2014 where they drank several pints over a few hours.

James Davy was carrying a baseball bat which he said he needed for protection because he claimed he had been beaten up the last time he was in Edenderry.

At around 9.30pm they went to an impromptu house party at the home of April Murray in The Sycamore's, Edenderry, stopping off on the way to buy 30 bottles of Miller beer.

They sat in the kitchen of Ms Murray's home drinking and James Davy produced a bag of white powder, referred to by some as cocaine, which they snorted off a key.

James Davy told gardai it was a head-shop drug known as mephedrone. Matthew Cummins joined them at about 11pm.

The party began to dwindle in the early hours and April Murray went to bed, leaving Matthew Cummins and Sean and James Davy to themselves. What ensued was described as "carnage" by prosecuting counsel Patrick Treacy SC.

18-year-old Courtleigh Maloney said she woke up at about 5am to banging noises from downstairs. She went down and saw white stuff on the mirror in the sitting room and then saw someone pulling out the presses in the living room. Terrified, she told the three men to get out.

When April Murray arose the next morning she discovered what the three men had done. "The sitting room was wrecked," she said. "The kitchen curtains were black and it looked like someone had tried to burn them up in flames."

They had also set fire to a lampshade, smashed a laptop, cut holes in a couch with a knife and scraped a television. The sitting room ceiling was black from smoke damage.

Having been ejected from the party the trio went to a local 24-hour garage where they got cups and a mixer for a bottle of vodka they had bought earlier. Then they made the decision to go to Toddy Dooley's house.

Matthew Cummins had been in Toddy's house before and knew the 64-year-old.

He told gardai he was a kind man who would always say hello. Cummins climbed in a window and then opened another window to let the other two in. 

Toddy, who was described as "soft" by one garda witness, was used to having young visitors at irregular hours and it appears he did not object. He sat down in his armchair, opened a can of Budweiser and drank with the intruders.

The three men gave different accounts of what happened next. Matthew Cummins claimed that "out of the blue" Sean Davy walked up behind the 64-year-old and beat him on the back of the head with the bat, before coming around the armchair to continue the beating from the front.

Sean Davy claimed that James Davy was responsible for most of the blows, and that he himself struck Mr Dooley once, but "not full force". James Davy denied laying a hand on Mr Dooley, saying that Sean Davy beat him with the bat and Matthew Cummins kicked Mr Dooley but not with much force.

None of the three took responsibility for the attempts to set Mr Dooley's clothes and armchair on fire.

State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy gave an indication of the brutality of the attack on Mr Dooley. She found eight blows to his head which had shattered his skull, disfiguring his face and leaving fragments of bone lodged in his brain. Two blows to his torso had fractured three of his ribs. She found extensive burn marks on his legs and arms where his attackers had tried to set him on fire after he died.

The trio then packed a plastic bag full of things from the house in what the prosecution said was an attempt to remove any evidence that they had been there.

They climbed out a window and over a wall and were caught on CCTV as they made their way towards a clothes bank beside Matthew Cummins' home. It was there that they deposited the baseball bat and the plastic bag and some sleeping tablets that Matthew Cummins had stolen from Mr Dooley's bathroom cabinet.

Cummins went home and the other two made their way to Sean Davy's home.

Eoin Reynolds

The scene of the arrest this morning

A 19-year-old woman has been arrested after the discovery of a child's body.

The woman was detained by Staffordshire Police after officers were called to an address in Packett Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent at about 10am on Monday.

A police spokesman said an investigation into the death was under way and patrols had been stepped up to provide community reassurance.

The spokesman said: "Officers will be carrying out house-to-house inquiries in the area, and scenes of crime officers will be conducting a detailed examination of the property, and an alleyway behind, which have been cordoned off."

Neighbours said they believed police had forced entry to the terraced house by smashing a window in the front door.

A resident in Packett Street, who asked not to be named, told reporters: "I don't know who lived there but I don't think they've been there very long.

"We've not been told why the alleyway was closed. It's just a shock that they're investigating a death."

The assault occurred at the Regency Hotel (Pic: Google Maps)

A homeless mother-of-five has been given an 18-month suspended sentence for assaulting another resident with a chisel while staying in emergency accommodation in a Dublin hotel.

Lisa Blake (38) formerly of The Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Michelle Lowry at the hotel on July 30, 2013. She has no previous convictions.

The court previously heard that Blake mistakenly thought Ms Lowry caused her to be evicted from the hotel and the victim now has a permanent scar on her nose as a result of the assault.

At an earlier sentence hearing Fiona Murphy BL, defending said that up to ten years ago Blake had been living in her own home and was living a very respectable life. She said as a result of the economic downturn and becoming addicted to heroin she lost her home.

In a victim impact report Ms Lowry said she felt sorry for Blake as she understood the pressure and stress she was living under at the time.

Ms Lowry told gardai that Blake started trying to stab at her. The victim's four year old daughter was in the hotel room and was screaming while her teenage son ran out to get help.

Judge Elma Sheahan said today that an “unprovoked assault was perpetrated on someone who had been a friend of the accused”.

She said Blake was “troubled” and accepted that she “snapped at a time of huge pressure”.

Judge Sheahan accepted that Blake had since offered a full apology to the victim and that it was unlikely that she would appear in court again.

Blake was also ordered to engage with the probation services for 18 months and take part in drug treatment programmes and work programmes offered to her.

The court also heard Blake and her children have since secured accommodation and are currently staying with her former partner although she is not in a relationship with him.

Garda James Woods told the earlier sentence hearing that Blake went into the victim's room and hit and kicked while repeatedly screaming “you're a rat” at her. She pulled the woman by the hair and was holding her down when she pulled out a chisel.

The scuffle moved into the hotel corridor where it was broken up by other residents.

Ms Murphy said Blake was “disgusted and ashamed’ of her actions and knew her behaviour could not be excused by the situation she found herself living in.

Blake had been drinking earlier that day at a family gathering and the alcohol had reacted very badly to medication she had been prescribed.

Counsel said Blake had no memory of bringing the chisel to the altercation.  

Declan Brennan/Laura Colgan

Stock image

A 22-year-old has recalled the terrifying moment she came face-to-face with a red-haired clown who threatened to "slit my throat".

Shaniece Price had stopped her car on the side of the road when the clown, sporting Adidas tracksuit bottoms, ran from the other side of the road towards the driver's seat of her car and peered through the window.

Fearing for her and her passengers and unsure if the clown was armed, Miss Price told the Press Association: "At the time I was really scared so I just drove off."

Miss Price and her passengers screamed before driving away, during the incident on Sunday afternoon in Bloxwich, Walsall, UK.

Miss Price, who works at a local bookmakers, had driven back onto the high street a few minutes later to see if he had left.

When she got out of her car, he chased her into a nearby pub.

"He followed me to the pub.

"He pointed at me and gestured that he would slit my throat, stared at me for five minutes and then left.

"I didn't report it to the police but I will," said Miss Price.

In a separate incident, George Birkbeck used a bottle of beer to ward off a lone clown who has holding "what looked like a hammer".

He spotted a sinister-looking figure lurking in a dark car park on his way home from Tesco in Plymouth on Friday.

As Mr Birkbeck approached him, brandishing a glass bottle of beer, the clown made a run for it.

Murdered: Paul 'Paulie' Curran

A YOUTH charged with murder in connection with a fatal stabbing in Dublin has been further remanded in custody.

Paul "Paulie" Curran (24) died after he was stabbed at Seagull House on Rutland Avenue in Crumlin, south Dublin, at around 4pm on July 16.

He was rushed to St James Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The scene was preserved for a technical examination and Graham McEvoy (18), who has an address at Captain's Road in Crumlin, was arrested the next day and charged with his murder.

He was remanded in custody on July 18 and appeared again on Monday at Dublin District Court.

Following a request for an adjournment by the State, he was further remanded in custody by Judge Anthony Halpin.

He will appear again at the same court on October 24 next, when it is expected that he will be served with the book of evidence.

Defence solicitor Niall O'Connor told the court that there was consent to the two-week remand.

Bail in a murder case can only be granted by the High Court. At his first hearing in July, Det Danny Sergeant Kelly said that "in reply to the charge after caution, he made no comment".

The youth has not yet indicated how he will plead and a book of evidence needs to be completed by the prosecution before he can be returned for trial.

Legal aid has been granted.

Zachary Purcell

Four prison officers are out of work on sick leave after one of the country’s most violent inmates attacked them.

Zachary Purcell (27), from the capital’s south inner city, struck in Mountjoy Prison on Friday after he was refused permission to make a phone call.

The thug from the Basin Street flats, who has over 50 previous convictions, is serving a jail sentence for burglary offences and has spent most of his adult life in prison.

Sources said he became aggressive after initially declining to go into an exercise yard. The criminal demanded that he be allowed to make a phone call, but this was declined.

Immediately, he threw a chair and bin at the officers. He then lashed out at prison officers with his fists and viciously assaulted one staff member before running into his cell.

However, the melee continued and officers tried to force the convict back inside his cell. They were repeatedly struck by Purcell.

The arms and hands of the officers were injured as they attempted to restrain him. After managing to secure the cell, the four officers required medical treatment.

The incident unfolded in an area of the jail called Mountjoy West – which was formerly St Patrick’s Institution for young offenders, but was closed down after repeatedly being criticised by human rights bodies for being unconstitutional

Mountjoy West houses inmates on protection because they are under threat or have a history of volatile and violent behaviour.

Sources have revealed the unit is “under severe pressure” at the moment because of the  number of different feuds involving serious criminals.

There was also an unrelated incident in the unit on Friday morning in which an inmate attempted to assault a prisoner officer.

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service confirmed to the Herald that the Purcell attack has taken place.

“In the process of restraining the prisoner a number of officers were injured. This was a serious incident and the staff involved should be complimented for their bravery,” the spokesman said.

Purcell is a notorious criminal whose family home was targeted in March 2013 in a petrol bomb attack linked to low-level feuds he has been involved in the south inner city.

He was a close pal of slain criminal Philip Finnegan, whose body was found in Co Kildare last month.

He also has close links to the Dumbrell crime family and is considered one of Ireland’s most violent inmates.

Purcell also has previous form for attacking prison officers and was given a one-year sentence in April 2013 for attacking a guard with his own radio.

The prison officer required several stitches after the brutal attack.

The production company behind a group of clowns who terrified teens at their school during a promotional stunt have apologised and explained that their clowns got lost.

Gardai were contacted by Newpark Comprehensive School in Blackrock after three actors in 'creepy clown' costumes entered its grounds without permission and frightened second year students leaving a PE class, as well as teachers at the school.

The Nightmare Realm, which is being held in the city, said its promotional staff accidentally entered the Dublin school's campus after mistakenly believing it was a public space.

The Herald understands the clowns are originally from Cork and did not know their way around Blackrock.

The three actors, reportedly holding fake weapons - one of which was believed to be a chainsaw - caused havoc when they entered the school last Thursday around noon.

One mother told the Herald that her daughter was "deeply shocked" by the incident.

"The had creepy laughter. My daughter told me that at least one teacher was panicking," she said.

"One of the sixth-year students was screaming, telling everyone to stay indoors."

School management have since met with gardai in relation to the incident, and have been in contact with the organisers of the Nightmare Realm.

A letter to parents from Newpark Comprehensive School said one of the clowns had something that looked "identical" to a chainsaw.

But gardai say the incident is a civil matter and they will not be investigating.

distress

The Nightmare Realm has been held in Cork city since 2009, and this is its first year in the capital.

Karl O'Connor, creator of The Nightmare Realm, said he wished to "extend our sincere apologies to the students, their parents, and the staff of Newpark Comprehensive School...for any distress caused".

He added that the actors were "out and about in Blackrock that day, dressed in full costume" as part of the promotional activity for the ongoing "scare-house" event.

"Unfortunately, they wandered into the grounds of Newpark Comprehensive - this was not authorised by The Nightmare Realm," he continued.

Mr O'Connor also said the promotional staff left the premises when requested to do so by school authorities.

The attraction's event manager also spoke to school representatives shortly afterwards and apologised, he added.

Mr O'Connor stressed his company and staff are "in no way linked" to the 'creepy clown' craze sweeping across the UK and US as Halloween approaches.

Six people have been taken to hospital after taking a "bad batch" of so-called legal highs, police said.

Those involved in the incident in Newcastle are thought to have suffered an adverse reaction to new psychoactive substances (NPS), prompting Northumbria Police to issue a warning.

The drugs, including substances called Spice, Killer Smeg and SpongeBob, are thought to have been bought in the Eldron Square area of the city, known as Hippy Green.

None of the six is thought to be in a life-threatening condition, although they were kept in hospital overnight as a precaution.

Anyone with the NPS, formerly known as legal highs, has been urged to hand them in to police to avoid anyone coming to further harm.

Chief Inspector Barrie Joisce said: "So far we have not received any reports of a life-threatening reaction to these drugs but we are concerned that people could be putting themselves at risk.

"Here in Northumbria we have done a lot of work warning people about the dangers of legal highs and they were recently banned under new legislation brought in earlier this year.

"However, our priority is the safety of the public and we want to make sure that any substances that may cause harm to those using them should be taken off the streets.

"If you have drugs of this nature in your possession, or have any information about who may be distributing them, then contact police immediately."

Anyone with any information about the drugs should contact police on 101 quoting reference 1013.

ALL PICTURES BARCROFT

A MUM whose face was melted in an unprovoked acid attack is using her experiences to help other survivors of trauma - and says she is thankful for her scars.

Karli Butler was just 23-years-old when she was left fighting for her life after being squirted with the lethal substance by an unknown woman.

Karli endured 3rd degree burns to 30% of her body and was left with 70% scarring and initially doctors feared for her life.

Now Karli inspires others through her experiences  – and says she wouldn’t change a thing.

Karli, now 32 says: “Going to sleep one person and waking up someone else is really difficult and there is, no one can prepare you for something like that.

“Before I was burnt, I put so much of my worth into how I looked in my physical appearance.

“My definition of beauty has definitely changed. Beauty is much more than skin deep and I love my scars, I always say I love my stripes. I wouldn’t change anything.”

Before her attack, Karli was living a lifestyle that she had always hoped for.

She says: “Before I was attacked I was 23-years-old living pretty much the life of my dreams.

“I was working as an executive assistant at a pediatric therapy clinic. So I was making more money that I have never seen.

“I felt like the world was at my fingertips and I was just enjoying the life and unfortunately that changed.”

On March 15 2006, Karli was attacked in the street by a group of five men who put her in the boot of a car and tried to abduct her.

Luckily she managed to escape when the car stopped momentarily, but just two months later she would be attacked again – with devastating consequences

Karli was visiting her cousin in her hometown of Chicago, America, on May 26, 2006, when she was approached by two unfamiliar women as she returned to her car.

Karli says: “I took off running towards my car and they took off running towards me.

“I eventually made it into my car but one of them had a gun and she was trying to get it into the car.

“Eventually she got her hand in and she put her gun on my face and she said, ‘Do it again and I’ll shoot you.’

“I put my hands up immediately and I felt the splash. It was horrible - I can’t even describe the pain.

“My eyes burned so badly my first reaction was to wipe and my eyes melted down and then I felt the second splash on my stomach.

“I remember just screaming and screaming and my skin falling off of my face.”

Traumatised Karli was rushed to hospital where medics battled desperately to save her life.

She went on to spend six weeks in the Intensive Care Unit recovering from full thickness third degree burns.

And further skin grafts and operations would leave Karli with scars to 70% of her body.

And first seeing her altered reflection was a traumatic experience.

She says: “I completely lost it because I didn’t know who that person was and my life would completely be turned upside down from then on.

“I couldn’t work or even think about my day to day because I was in so much pain and traumatized more than I could have imagined possible.”

Karli’s attacker, Nicole Baker, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for heinous battery, but the other women and the men from the first attack walked free because of a lack of evidence.

And Karli still has many unanswered questions.

Karli says: “There was a lot of speculation about what happened to me and to this day I don’t have the answers that I want.

“The police told me that it was because of the guy that I was dating. He was never arrested or charged with anything, it was alleged that he was involved in some street activity and instead of those people retaliating against him they retaliated against me and I suffered the consequences.”

Remarkably, Karli has forgiven everyone involved, and even reached out to the attacker in prison – but her attempts at reconciliation were rejected.

Karli says: “I was angry, I was hurt and also confused about why they do something so heinous, but all that negative energy was negatively impacting my own life.

“I hold no ill will, I actually wrote her a letter last summer just telling her that I hope she sees better days and to let her know that it’s a wash, but I never heard anything back from her.”

Karli suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and severe depression, but she refused to let the attack dominate her life, and through therapy and exercise.

She has since channelled her ordeal into something positive and is helping others who have experienced trauma and abuse.

Karli says: “I’m in a really great place in my life, I’m now working as a social service provider with young women.

“I have an amazing four-year-old son and my experiences are actually bringing a lot of amazing opportunities to my life that I otherwise don’t think I would have.

“I’m thankful for everything, I’m thankful for my scars, I’m thankful for the trauma that has ultimately shaped who I am.

“I’m thankful for my supportive family and friends and I’m just thankful for this life.”

Now Karli is looking forward to the future and has started a website  to tell her story and reach out to others.

www.burnedbeauty.com

Karli says: “Before I was burnt, I put so much of my worth into how I looked in my physical appearance.

“Now I realise that beauty is something else altogether and I want to use my experiences to be an advocate.

“I want to help as many women as I can as well as learn from them and hopefully create a community of body positive people.”

A woman had to carry her 16-year-old son down the stairs off a plane when Ryanair’s special assistance did not arrive, her sister has claimed.

Gabriela Nadolska explained that her nephew Michael, who has drug-resistant epilepsy, needs assistance to board and disembark since he cannot use the stairs.

“My sister was coming from Warsaw to Dublin with her son, and when they boarded the plane in Warsaw he had special assistance. But when they were approaching Dublin, nobody came up to give her a hand,” Gabriela told Liveline this afternoon.

“My sister speaks no English so one of the air hostesses who was from Slovakia spoke to my sister and said there is no assistance coming. The pilot asked the air hostess to ask my sister if she could take her son on her back to leave the aircraft.

"My sister was shocked but she grabbed her son Michael on her back. A man at the bottom of the stairs got scared thinking my sister might fall, so he went up the stairs and walked in front of her but she was still carrying her 16-year-old disabled son on her back.

“I went over to the assistance desk to check what happened and the gentleman there said that it was booked – he was in shock himself. He gave me an email for OCS to make a complaint so I did. I emailed OCS and they said I need to go directly to Ryanair,” she continued.

It has been nearly a month since Gabriela’s initial complaint and so far, she has received no concrete response from Ryanair or OCS. “This happened on the 14th of September, I sent an email on the 15th – it’s a month later. I got an email on Monday saying that they’re investigating.”

Joe Duffy didn’t miss the chance to take a jab at Ryanair, telling Gabriela, “You’ve got to understand, Michael O’Leary is very busy doing his stand-up act for well-padded politicians at high-end breakfasts.”

Ryanair said: “While we regret any inconvenience caused, the customer in question failed to book the correct special assistance required prior to their flight.

"All customers who require special assistance are asked to contact Ryanair prior to their flight using our dedicated special assistance phone line and web chat facility.”

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Children were allegedly threatened with a knife by a prankster dressed as a 'killer clown' on Friday afternoon.

The incident occurred in Riverside Park in Ballymoney, Co Antrim and is being investigated by the PSNI.

As news of the incident broke, an Instagram account titled 'killerclownsballymoney' posted threats online saying that a killer clown would be "waiting at Ballymoney High School gates at 3:55, and on Mondays it'll be Dalriada at 2:40".

In a statement to Independent.ie, Councillor Darryl Wilson, a representative for the Ballymoney area, said: "Killer Clown pranks are beyond a joke.

"Over the past few weeks we have seen news reports from across the world where people are dressing up as killer clowns to intimidate and scare people, causing distress to people within our communities, particularly the young and the elderly is completely unacceptable.

"Those responsible may feel that their actions are harmless, however they are causing distress to others while putting themselves in harms way too.

"I would strongly urge those responsible to put an end to this threatening behaviour immediately."

Councillor Cathal McLaughlin, also from the Ballymoney area, said: "This is a very very silly game and it appears to be just to frighten people.

"I don't think people realise there could be serious consequences for people affected by this. It is a matter for the PSNI, but as a public representative I'd appeal to them not to engage in such pranks."

This incident occurred on the same day Coleraine Grammar School in Derry was put on lockdown after threats were made on Instagram that morning. Police attended the school in the afternoon but the threat turned out to be a hoax.

The 'killer clown' trend began in the US with pranksters dressing as clowns to scare people. It has stormed the UK and Ireland and even been used to advertise Halloween events.

Clowns wielding prop chainsaws entered the grounds of Newpark School in Blackrock without permission to hand out leaflets for a Halloween horror attraction. Parents said their children were frightened by the event and that videos were being passed around afterwards to cause more distress.

Via Independent.ie

Garda James Masters

A 34-year-old inter-county footballer was cowardly and ferociously assaulted during a GAA match because he is a member of An Garda Síochána, a court has heard.

Garda James Masters told the High Court yesterday that in August 2010, he had been playing with his local team, Nemo Rangers, during a Co Cork football championship match when he was assaulted by a member of the opposite team, Valley Rovers.

Garda Masters, who is based in Bandon, Co Cork, said the match had been uneventful until a scuffle developed towards the final whistle.  He had not wanted to get involved and had started to walk back to his full-forward position when he heard a noise from behind.

Bruce Antoniotti SC, counsel for Garda Masters, said his client had been turning to see what was happening when he suddenly received a ferocious punch in his face.  He had been trying to get up when his assailant cowardly kicked him in the jaw while he was still lying on the ground.

Garda Masters, who played with the Cork senior inter-county team from 2005 until 2010, said that when he fell he saw that his assailant was wearing the Valley Rovers No 2 jersey.  

The court heard that the No 2, Noel O’Donovan, had called the garda a 'pig' several times during the match.

"I took it as being a slang word for a garda," Garda Masters said during a Garda Compensation hearing.

Mr Antoniotti, who appeared with barrister Kieran Binchy, said Garda Masters had blood pouring down his face after the assault and while he was being removed off the pitch by medical staff, O'Donovan smiled at him and made a handcuff gesture. 

Mr Justice Bernard Barton heard that Garda Masters was taken to University Hospital, Cork, where a laceration to the left-side of his face was stitched.

The court was told that Garda Masters had a plate put in his jaw following an accidental collision with a player in 2007.  Following the assault by O’Donovan his jaw started to swell and he later had needed to have the plate removed.

Garda Masters said his wound had left a visible permanent scar on the left side of his face. He had suffered from anxiety and had to play as a substitute at the time. 

The court heard that O'Donovan was later prosecuted in Cork District Court and fined €1,000.  

Garda Masters is now suing the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Colm Smyth SC, counsel for the Minister, said the State was contesting Garda Masters's claim for compensation on the basis that his injuries happened during a GAA match.

During cross-examination of Garda Masters by Mr Smyth, counsel informed the court that the State wished to call the match referee as a witness.

Following a brief adjournment, Mr Antoniotti said the case was one of "David versus Goliath" because the State was relying on witness statements collected during a Garda investigation into the assault.

He said the DPP had refused to furnish the statements to Garda Masters’s legal team on the basis that they were privileged.

Judge Barton adjourned the case to allow parties to bring motions for discovery of documents.

Saurya Cherfi

Via Independent.ie

Detectives are hunting a suspected rapist who targeted a lone woman in a "horrific attack".

The victim, aged in her 20s, was walking to her car in Tooting, south London just after midnight on September 21 when she was attacked by a man who forced her into a nearby building and raped her.

He is Asian, slim, aged between 20 and 25, around 5ft 7in and had a thin moustache. He was wearing glasses, a red hooded top and light coloured tracksuit bottoms.

Detective Inspector Andrew Wadey said: "This was a horrific attack on a lone woman and it is paramount that the person responsible for inflicting such trauma on this woman is caught without delay.

"A number of enquires have been carried out and we have managed to successfully obtain a DNA profile of the suspect.

"I would like to encourage anyone who believes they know the person responsible for carrying out this attack to contact us.

"As we have a DNA profile any information about potential suspects given to us can be quickly and easily eliminated or verified so I would like to reassure anyone that is concerned about providing information."

Anyone with information can call police on 020 8721 4251 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.

Warriena Wright

A New Zealand tourist plunged to her death from a 14th floor balcony because she was so intimidated by a Tinder date, an Australian court has heard.

Gable Tostee, is accused of killing 26-year-old New Zealand tourist Warriena Wright during a date arranged through popular dating app Tinder.

A court in Australia that Tostee threatened and strangled the woman after they had met for the first time and had gone back to his apartment.

Ms Wright allegedly fell to her death in fear and was attempting to climb from a balcony when she slipped.

In a disturbing recording of the encounter that was found on Tostee’s phone, he could be heard saying: "You're lucky I haven't chucked you off my balcony you God damn psycho b----. You're not going to collect any belongings, you're just going to walk out.”

The pair had made contact on Tinder six days before the incident and had agreed to meet at a surf shop in a busy nightclub district near Tostee’s apartment in Surfers Paradise, a popular beachside holiday destination.

They met at 8.45pm on February 7, 2014, and bought beer before returning to Tostee’s apartment, where they were recorded talking about God, ninjas and the film Forrest Gump.

Glen Cash, the prosecutor, told the Supreme Court in Brisbane that they had engaged in drinking and had been intimate before altercation took place early on the Friday morning.

During the audio recording played to the court, Ms Wright could be heard asking to leave several times but the pair continued to drink and talk.

At one point, she told him: “Are you going to f---ing untie me because I will f---ing destroy your jaw."

He is heard to say: "I should have never given you so much to drink... You're not going to collect any belongings, you're just going to walk out. If you try to pull anything I'll knock you out, I'll knock you the f--- out. Do you understand?"

Mr Cash said the prosecution was not alleging that Tostee had thrown or pushed Ms Wright but that he threatened her and left her with no other choice but to try to escape by climbing down from the locked balcony.

The accused has pleaded not guilty and denied strangling Ms Wright, insisting that he restrained her in self-defence.

His lawyer Saul Holt QC claimed that Ms Wright, who was visiting Australia for a two-week holiday, became violent and threw decorative rocks at him as well as hitting him with a clamp from a telescope.

"What happened in this case is nothing like murder or manslaughter, it doesn't fit," Mr Holt told the court.

"She is outside, he is inside and he has caused a locked door to be between the two of them.”

Gabriele Collyer-Wiedner, a retiree who lived in the apartment below Tostee’s, claims she was woken be the sound of banging furniture at 2am.

She said she could see a pair of feet  dangling from the balcony above.

"Legs came down and dangled in the air," she told the court.

"I froze there, then the body fell on my balcony railing. I screamed and somebody else screamed, I assumed it was her voice.”

Following Ms Wright’s fall to the driveway below, Tostee attempted to call his lawyer and then called his father.

“She kept beating me up and whatever," he could be heard telling his father in the audio recording.

"I forced her out onto the balcony and I think she might have jumped off."

The case continues on today and further extracts of the audio recording are due to be played to the jury.

Oisin Legaspi

Car dealer Oisin Legaspi, who was taken to court when a deal for a dream McLaren sports car went wrong, has unwittingly found himself mixed up in a CAB investigation into Kinahan Cartel lieutenant Liam Byrne and his cohorts.

The 32-year-old, from Leopardstown in Dublin, is being probed because of his links to criminals who are targets of the Criminal Assets Bureau.

It is understood that he has been quizzed over cars bought for Liam Byrne and Liam Roe, but has insisted that he had no idea they were involved in crime.

Legaspi could not be contacted for comment this week, but a friend said he was no longer living in the family home where he has been monitored in recent weeks.

It is understood that Roe was stopped in a car registered to Legaspi in recent months and that he had done deals with Byrne’s Active Car Sales.

It was raided last March by officers investigating organised crime and the CAB and 29 motors were removed.

The company was dissolved last January – just a month before Byrne’s brother David was murdered in the Regency Hotel.

It is understood that Byrne and Roe are top targets of both the CAB and the Garda’s Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and their finances and dealings are being examined.

Liam Roe and David Byrne

Legaspi unwittingly found himself subject to investigation after a number of deals with the pair were uncovered, but the dealer has insisted he has nothing to do with organised crime.

The car dealer was brought to court earlier this month by a medical consultant who lost a Ferrari in a deal for a McLaren car which he never received.

He agreed to pay Dr Eddie O’Donnell €55,000 after the court heard he traded his Ferrari California with Legaspi’s company Ocean Vehicle Trading Ltd on the basis it would part-finance the purchase of a 2012 McLaren MP4 12C which he never received.

O’Donnell had obtained temporary freezing orders against Legaspi, preventing him from lowering his assets below a value of €150,000. The case is adjourned to October 12.

Dr O’Donnell claimed he made an arrangement to trade the Ferrari against the McLaren. Dr O’Donnell said the car had never been delivered and he later discovered the Ferrari was sold for €137,300.

A 17-year-old driver and his 12-year-old passenger have been killed in a crash, police said.

The teenage boy was driving a Ford Fiesta when it collided with a Mercedes Sprinter van travelling in the opposite direction on the A36 at Steeple Langford, near Salisbury, UK on Monday afternoon.

Wiltshire Police said the occupants of the Fiesta, who were both local, died at the scene.

The van driver, a 45-year-old man from the Southampton area, suffered relatively minor injuries and was taken to Salisbury District Hospital.

A police spokesman said: "The road was closed for a total of six hours whilst specialist investigators carried out their inquiries.

"The families of the deceased have been notified but formal identification has not yet taken place. A family liaison officer is assisting the family and our thoughts are with them."

Officers are appealing for witnesses to the incident.