Claw hammer attacker set to appeal sentence

A pensioner sentenced to almost two years in prison for a series of serious assaults in the Cootehill area — including attacks on a female neighbour, her mother, and a separate incident involving a claw hammer assault on a public bus — is set to appeal his sentences.

Anthony Pilkington (72), of Clementstown, Cootehill, appeared before Judge Ciaran Liddy at Cavan District Court on Tuesday, November 4, where evidence was heard in relation to the assaults, beginning with an incident at Halton’s Amenity Park on April 13, 2025.

Mr Pilkington was charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Shona Fitzpatrick. On the same date, he was further charged with trespass with intent to commit an offence at Ms Fitzpatrick’s home, and with causing criminal damage to her 162-registered Mercedes car using a metal pole.

The following month, on May 29, Mr Pilkington was again charged and later pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Simon Pierce, after striking him over the head with a claw hammer on a public bus travelling to Cavan Town. The incident occurred at Cornabraher, Cootehill.

He was also charged with possession of a claw hammer and with producing it during the course of a dispute.

The assault on Ms Fitzpatrick’s mother Rose Anne Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, occurred at Church Street, Cootehill, on September 28, 2025, while he was on bail on other matters.

Conditions of his release were that Mr Pilkington stay out of Cootehill town, bar Church Street and Market Street; he have no contact with the injured party or any witnesses in the case; not use public transport between Cootehill and Cavan, and sign on three times a week at Cavan Garda Station as well as adhere to a strict curfew.

It was heard that he had breached the terms before.

Pilkington, who has previous convictions for assault and has spent time in prison, was represented in court by solicitor Martin Cosgrove.

Most of the defendant’s priors date back several decades.

Judge Liddy imposed a 12-month term of imprisonment for the attack on Ms Fitzpatrick, and a consecutive 12 months for the hammer assault on Mr Pierce, with two months suspended.

A concurrent six months prison sentence was imposed in relation to the assault on Ms Fitzpatrick’s mother, with all other charges taken into account.