Stamped on pregnant fiancée 17 times

A man who kicked and stamped on his pregnant girlfriend's head 17 times in an unprovoked drink-fuelled attack, leaving her with lasting brain damage, could serve the next 10 to 15 years behind bars.
Sonia Lee, described in court as once “full of life”, was left struggling to breathe at the bottom of a stairwell the day before St Patrick's Day in 2016, after the “sustained” attack by her fiancée Lance Dempsey.
So severe was the beating at Cavan Town's Chilli Lounge that Judge John Aylmer questioned whether it was required to “expose” himself to the graphic CCTV footage of the incident.
“If I don't have to see it, I don't want to see it,” he cautiously petitioned, before bringing himself to watch the attack for which Dempsey (27) was charged with assault causing serious harm to the Cavan mum of two.
It was only when Ms Lee was fighting for life in hospital, having suffered broken bones in her face and bleeding on the brain, it was discovered she was 15 weeks pregnant.
Despite the extent of her injuries, treatment for which included 10 days in an induced coma in ICU, Ms Lee went on to give birth to a healthy little baby boy.
Two victim impact statements were provided as part of Dempsey's sentencing at Cavan Circuit Court last week.
Aisling Lee told how, along with her own family, she now cares for her sister and infant son.
While, after several months of rehabilitation, Ms Lee is better able to walk and talk, she still needs help with feeding and dressing. She will never live independently again, or fully care for her young baby without assistance.
“She is definitely not the same girl,” said Ms Lee's sister before becoming emotional, adding that her family rue the day that Dempsey came into their lives.
A victim impact statement from Ms Lee's former partner, and father to her eldest son, was also read in to court.
He said he always knew Ms Lee to be a person “full of life”.
The witness said that since the attack Ms Lee has “little time” for their son, who struggles to understand “why this has happened to his mum”.
Garda Sergeant Cora Early gave evidence, with State Prosecutor Monica Lawlor BL, instructed by State Solicitor Rory Hayden, providing details from witness statements.
Witnesses described Ms Lee as being upset in JP's Bar on the evening of March 16. Dempsey, who lived with Ms Lee at an address 134 Aughnaskerry Drive in Cavan Town, but now currently resides at Dublin's Cloverhill Prison, had taken €30 from his fiancée’s handbag. Ms Lee had given him €90 before the couple went out.
Andrea Lyons, who knew Ms Lee from school noted how Dempsey was “storming in and out of the pub in a bit of a temper”. He was acting aggressively but then would hug his partner.
Fearing for Ms Lee’s safety, Ms Lyons suggested she leave when Dempsey “wasn't looking”.
JP McPhilips, owner of JP's Bar, told gardaí he observed Dempsey punching a wall inside the pub and told the couple to leave.
He was at the doorway when, soon after leaving, Ms Lee and Dempsey emerged from Kitty's Bar. Ms Lee shouted to Mr McPhilips to “ring the guards”, but feeling there was nothing to “ring them about”, he did not.
Mr McPhilips saw the couple turn towards the Imperial Bar and a short time after could hear “banging like someone hitting a door”.
Martin O'Hanlon, who worked at Cavan Cabs across the street, also saw the couple arguing at around 10.30pm. They stopped outside the Chilli Lounge when Dempsey pushed Ms Lee into the hallway and pulled the door closed behind him.
“I could hear voices shouting, mostly a male voice,” Mr O'Hanlon told gardaí, which progressed to a female shouting “please stop hitting me” and a “loud banging noise”.
After, Dempsey appeared on the street with both hands on his head, before running off in the direction of Bridge Street repeating: “What have I done? What have I done?”
In total, Dempsey kicked and stamped on Ms Lee a total of 17 times and punched her twice. The blows were “all to the head” confirmed Sgt Earlym, who in describing what had occurred said that Dempsey had refused to let Ms Lee leave, holding in a seemingly “possessive manner” prior to lashing out.
A restaurant customer told gardaí he was going out for a cigarette when he came across Dempsey standing over an unconscious Ms Lee. He was “slapping” Ms Lee trying to wake her.
Based on her struggle to breathe, the witness told gardaí: “I knew something was broken inside.”
He added that Dempsey then left to get help but never came back.
Gda Niall Cummins and Brian Greevy encountered Dempsey at Cavan Bus Station.
He had blood on his forehead, his forearm, his knuckles and his footwear. He told gardaí that his girlfriend had “fell down” some stairs.
After a call came through matching Dempsey's description, he suggested to the officers: “You're big men when you have your uniforms on!”.
Dempsey then resisted arrest, attempting to hit Gda Greevy and bit Gda Cummins' fingers.
When questioned, he gave gardaí different names - Scott and Stephen - and a false date of birth.
He also said he had “no recollection” of the attack but, on review of the CCTV, admitted to feeling like a “scumbag”, adding: “It’s horrible. Not nice to watch.”
After six weeks in hospital in Dublin, Ms Lee returned to Cavan General Hospital but was soon sent back to continue her treatment at the Mater Hospital. 
She had suffered “severe traumatic brain injury”, with a subdural haemorrhage to the frontal lobe. She required medicine to control developed epilepsy.
Around eight months later, she entered the National Rehabilitation Hospital, and some months after that gave birth.
Details from several subsequent clinical, neurological and medical reports were provided to the court. Ms Lee has lost her sense of smell, her short-term memory is poor, and she is prone to acting irritable and emotional, the court was told. It was “unlikely” that Ms Lee would ever return to gainful employment as before the attack.
Dempsey's previous criminal history includes 26 convictions prior to the attack on Ms Lee. They include seven for public order and road traffic, five for failing to appear at court, six for theft, and one for battery from when he lived in the UK for a period. The latter came with a compensation order for €500, which went unpaid.
Dempsey has been in custody since March 18, the day after he assaulted Ms Lee. He pleaded guilty to the offence back in March this year.
Roisin Lacey SC, instructed by Eamon O'Moore BL, said her client had been drinking Carlsberg on the night in question. He remembered drinking a double brandy, but that after this his “mind went blank”.
Ms Lacey said the death of Dempsey's mother had a “very significant” impact on him, and that it was “in or around this time” he developed difficulties with substance abuse.
Ms Lawlor informed the court that it was the instructions of the Director of Public Prosecutions that the “appropriate view” in terms of sentencing was in the range of between 10 to 15 years imprisonment.

This was due to the “unprovoked” nature of the attack, as well as how “sustained” it was with both “kicks and blows” to the head, and the “breach of trust” it caused as the pair were in a relationship.
It was to be considered the the fact that Ms Lee was pregnant, though Dempsey was not aware of this at the time, as well as the “gravity” of the injuries his former partner suffered and the lasting affect these have had on her.
Dempsey, who sat emotionless throughout the hearing, looking in the opposite direction to Ms Lee's family gathered in the gallery. He was remanded in custody to appear again at the March sittings in 2020 for a case mitigation to be provided by his legal counsel, and sentencing to be considered by the judge.