Tipperary woman with a tragic background is given a five-year sentence for knife attack

A 25-year-old woman with a tragic background was sentenced to five years in prison for her role in a knife attack on a woman who was taking her young children to McDonalds.

The woman, whose father was murdered and she lost three of her children, was given a five-year sentence, with the last year of that sentence suspended for a period of two years at Nenagh Circuit Court last Friday.

Rebecca Harty, Drom Flinne,Portroe pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on December 10 2023 at Bulfin Crescent, Nenagh. She also pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a car and that charge was taken into consideration.

Imposing the sentence Judge Catherine Staines said the defendant was guilty of a vicious assault carried out on Olivia Egan. She described it as a pre-meditated attack that was carried out in front of children and resulted in serious injuries including a partial severing of a finger and a laceration to her head which required 32 stitches.

Judge Staines said the attack had a devastating effect on the victim, she had been left with nerve damage and scars and fell asleep against the door. The attack also had a terrible effect on her children.

Detective Garda Paudie O’Leary told the court Olivia Egan had been found lying on the ground at Bulfin Crescent in a very distressed state and was bleeding from the head. There was a car parked at the scene and the lights were on and the car was running. A window was smashed and there was a large amount of blood on the door. Declan Ryan told Gardaí that Rebecca Harty inflicted injuries on Olivia Egan. Gardaí recovered a carpet knife from the scene. CCTV showed Olivia Egan leaving a house with her four children and getting into a car. Rebecca Harty and a co-accused could be seen coming across the green area and they approached the car.

Olivia Egan was struck in her car. She got out of the car and Rebecca Harty continued to strike her in a swiping motion. Declan Ryan arrived and attempted to stop her. It was at this location that Gardai recovered the knife. Rebecca Harty was arrested and said she pulled a knife from her pocket and used it. Rebecca Harty said she did not realise how much damage had been done until she saw the blood on the ground. Olivia Egan spent several days in hospital following the attack. She had an operation and was still going to Cork for treatment. There were issues between the two women concerning money that was owed  and name calling.

Judge Staines was told that Rebecca Harty had 33 previous convictions.

David Humphries SC, Prosecuting Counsel, said the victim was in court but did not want to give evidence. She was happy for her victim impact statement to be read out in court.

In her statement, Oliva Egan said she was taking her children to McDonalds in the car. The car was approached and she could hear windows breaking. Her children started screaming, they were terrified. She was attacked with a blade and put her hand up to protect herself. Her partner Declan Ryan came out to stop the attack.

In her victim impact statement, Oliva Egan said Rebecca Harty told her to enjoy looking in the mirror at her face for the rest of her life. Harty told her that if she went to the Gardaí she would get an army after her.

Oliva Egan said she was left with nerve damage, had scars, and was very self-conscious about herself. Her mental health had deteriorated massively and she was not able to care for her kids and they were put into care after she attempted suicide. She said that every time her girls see the scars it is a reminder of what happened. She was in fear of her life of retaliation but that was a fear she would have to live with.

Ed O’Mahony, SC for the defendant told the court that Rebecca Harty had been the victim of a knife attack when she was young and that was why she carried a knife. She said in a statement that if she had been sober and not on medication she would not have done it.

She had two young children that died tragically from cot deaths and she had a stillborn child. She had one nine-year-old child who was currently in care. Her father was murdered when she was a young age.

A letter of apology was handed into court.

Detective Gda O’Leary said Ms Egan did not accept the apology. 

Mr O’Mahony said Rebecca Harty had been through a lot of addiction and mental health issues, and the loss of three children had a devastating effect on her. The majority of her offences took place after the loss of her children.