A WATERFORD MAN has been been given a five-year suspended sentence for attempted to kill his wife with a hammer. Fintan Murphy, 48, of 62 Ardmore Park, Waterford, pleaded guilty to to attacking his mentally ill wife.
Murphy had told gardaà he was struck her because she wouldn’t stop talking. Margaret Murphy suffers from bi-polar disorder and in the hours before the attack had been having a psychotic episode in which she heard voices and hullicinated.
Murphy called the emergency services at 8am that morning. He told gardaà he had intended to kill himself after killing his wife.  She has since made a full recovery, and has resumed living with him. She told the court that her husband had never hit her before, and would do anything for her.
Murphy, who had stopped taking his medication in the months prior to the attack, was ordered by the court to follow the instructions of his medical treatment.
