A Waterford man has escaped jail for attacking his wife with a hammer because she would not stop talking.
Fintan Murphy of Ardmore Park, Ballybeg will receive psychiatric treatment as part of his 5 year suspended sentence for assault causing serious harm and attempting to cause serious harm to his wife, Margret on October 19th, 2008.
The court heard she Mrs Murphy suffers from Bi-polar disorder and had kept him awake in the hours prior to the attack because she imagined there were people outside the house
Neither she nor her Husband Fintan Murphy who suffers from depression were taking their medication at the time.
The accused kept his head bowed today as Mr Justice Paul Carney handed down a 5 year suspended sentence noting the DPP's view that while the matter was very grave it'd be in the public interest for Mr Murphy to receive continued treatment outside of prison.