Man jailed for year after assault on 91-year-old father

A man who assaulted his then 91-year-old father and placed him in a headlock has been jailed for one year.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Cedric Ingle, 50, of Park Road, Glenageary, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 4 April 2020, at an address in the Glenageary area.

He has 19 previous convictions.

Passing sentence Judge Elma Sheahan said: “It was distressing to think what the injured party had to deal with on the night in question”.

Judge Sheahan said the aggravating factors in this case were that the offence took place in the home of the injured party, who is the father of the accused.

She added the injured party was elderly and vulnerable, and the incident happened in a place where he should have felt safe.

The judge said she would consider the defendant’s guilty plea, which was of significant value, his drug and work history and that he has not come to garda attention in the past four years as mitigating factors.

Judge Sheahan also noted that the plea was made and accepted by the Director of Public Prosecution on the basis of recklessness.

The threshold for a custodial sentence had been passed, she added, and sentenced Ingle to 18 months in prison with the final six months suspended.

Detective Garda Andrew Diamond told the prosecuting counsel that gardaí attended the home of Christopher Ingle on the night in question.

He was 91 years old at the time, and gardaí saw that he was shaking and had cuts to his hands. Mr Ingle told gardaí that he had been assaulted by his son Cedric.

The court heard that Ingle called to his parents’ home but was not welcome. His mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, let him in.

Mr Ingle tried to call the gardaí, but the defendant took his phone. A struggle began in the front garden, which resulted in the defendant putting his father in a headlock.

The older man managed to get the attention of his grandson, who was living in their converted garage. The gardaí were called, and Ingle left.

Det Gda Diamond said Ingle was arrested on 7 May 2020, and he entered a plea on his trial date. Images of the injuries sustained by Mr Ingle were handed into the court.

He agreed with defending SC Gareth Baker that Mr Ingle has since passed away and that his death had nothing to do with this incident.

Det Gda Diamond also agreed with counsel that Mr Ingle was examined by emergency services at the scene but did not need any further medical attention.

He further agreed that in Mr Ingles’s statement, he said, “It is a very sad situation”, referring to his son.

Mr Barker said his client began using cannabis from an early age, and this graduated to more serious drugs in the form of heroin. He said that his client has not come to garda attention in the past four years.

Counsel asked the court to consider that there was no direct intent to cause injury and that what did occur was inherently risky, and harm was caused when he tried to pull keys from his late father.

He said the primary aim was not to injure his father but to take his keys.