A 63-year-old man has been remanded in custody after admitting pouring boiling water over his wife and attacking her with a claw hammer while she slept at their place. Cork townhouse earlier this year.

At Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Wednesday, Noel Twomey of Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing injury to his wife Jackie at their home on January 15 last.

Twomey pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Ms Twomey by pouring boiling water over her and another charge of assault causing harm by attacking her with a claw hammer.

Defense counsel Shay Roche SC applied for an adjournment to allow both a medical and psychiatric report to be drawn up on his client and Judge Helen Boyle granted the application.

Prosecuting Attorney Emmet Boyle said in light of Twomey’s pleas he would seek a victim impact statement from Ms Twomey. Judge Boyle adjourned the case until February 12 for sentence.

Gardaí gave an outline of the facts of the case when they objected to bail for Twomey at Cork District Court earlier this year, when one of the grounds for objection was the seriousness of the charge.

Constable Brian Murphy said Twomey, who has been married to his wife for almost 40 years, was still awake and watched her return home on a CCTV camera at about 3.30am on the night in question.

Det Garda Murphy said Jackie Twomey later went to bed and fell asleep only for the accused to then fill a pot with water on the stove and arm himself with a claw hammer from a toolbox.

“When the water was boiling, Noel Twomey took the pot and the hammer and walked around the flat for some time before going into the bedroom,” Det Garda Murphy said.

“He started pouring boiling water over his wife before hitting her over the head with the hammer a number of times – he expressed surprise that she was able to jump and leave the property.

“He also left the property and on Bakers Road stopped a patrol car. He was visibly covered in blood and was in possession of a bloodstained hammer in a plastic bag.”

Det Garda Murphy said police attended the house where crime scene officers cordoned off the bedroom and began an examination after the property was declared a crime scene.

“This is very serious. He went to sleep in the safety of his own bed. Noel Twomey made the very conscious decision to boil a pot of water and take a claw hammer out of his toolbox.

“He stated that he walked around the apartment 10 to 20 times, considering whether to carry out his actions. He entered his bedroom where his wife was sleeping and attacked her in a cowardly manner while she slept.

“He showed no remorse and never asked about his wife’s condition. He comes across as a very controlling individual. His actions were very disturbing and sinister.”