Leading republican Pearse McAuley has been remanded in custody after a court appearance in relation to a serious assault on his estranged wife.
McAuley, who is originally from Strabane, Co Tyrone, but with an address in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, pleaded guilty at Cavan Circuit Court in June to the production of a knife in the course of a dispute at Kilderry, Kilnaleck, Cavan, on 24 December last year.
He also pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning his estranged wife, former Sinn Féin Councillor Pauline Tully McAuley, and with intentionally/recklessly causing serious harm to her on the same occasion.
McAuley also pleaded guilty to threatening to kill her brother Tommy during the same incident.
Prosecuting Counsel Monica Lawlor outlined how McAuley and his wife had separated in February last year and he was living away from the family home at an apartment in Ballyconnell.
She said that on the morning of last Christmas Eve he had made arrangements with Ms Tully to meet his children at her home at 1pm.
However, she said he had turned up at 11am unannounced and intoxicated and proceeded to attack Ms Tully, accusing her of having another man in front of her seven and five-year-old boys.
Counsel told the court that the defendant had repeatedly stabbed his estranged wife as she lay on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood.
Ms Tully had crawled through that blood and flagged down a neighbour who barely recognised her at first because of her injuries.
The neighbour went to Ms Tully's brother, Tommy, and alerted him.
Mr Tully then came upon McAuley, who had a rock in his hands, and was threatening the car which his former partner had locked herself into in a bid to get help.
Ms Lawlor said Mr Tully hit McAuley, who threatened to kill him and Ms Tully.
Ms Lawlor also outlined the extent of Ms Tully's injuries.
She said a medical report stated she had a collapsed lung and blood in her lung along with multiple lacerations to her hands and neck.
During this submission Acting Inspector James O'Leary told the court McAuley had two previous convictions in this jurisdiction.
In 1993 he was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances.
In February 1999, at the Special Criminal Court, he received a 14-year sentence for manslaughter over the death of Detective Garda Gerry McCabe, who lost his life during a Post Office robbery in Adare, Co Limerick.
Ms Tully also took the stand and outlined the same facts, adding that McAuley had threatened to kill her and himself.
She also said that she would now be living in fear of her life for the rest of her days.
She said the attack had a horrific effect on her two children who have had nightmares including one where the older boy has seen his father cutting off her head and another of his father with a gun.
She said: "My youngest son has said he looked through the glass panel and witnessed his father putting the knife into me.
"Children should never have seen such things and they are both receiving counselling. I hope my sons have a better, brighter and happier Christmas this year."
Eanna Mulloy SC, acting for McAuley, asked her if she had received a letter from McAuley in June last year.
She said a letter was delivered by a garda but she refused to accept it.
Mr Mulloy said his client had been a victim of the conflict in Northern Ireland and in his release in 2009 he had worked for reconciliation even bringing young people to Flanders and visiting Israel.
He also added that McAuley is an alcoholic, a type 1 diabetic and has worked as mentor to those in the prison to other prisoners.
Mr Mulloy then asked Judge Alymer to consider the contents of the unopened letter of remorse from McAuley.
The judge then adjourned sentencing until next Wednesday.
