Son attacked father on side of Tramore road
The incident was the culmination of a fractious, complex family dispute, which Christian Blanche (51) accepted that he handled very badly, resorting to violence.
A man has received a suspended sentence for assaulting his elderly father over a family dispute.
Christian Blanche (51), of Old Crobally Road, Tramore, assaulted his father with a stick, believed to be a golf club, on the morning of October 19, 2021, on the side of the road near his home.
In November 2023, Blanche appeared in Waterford Circuit Court before Judge Eugene O'Kelly.
The court heard how at around 6am on the date of the attack, the victim, aged in his early 70s at the time, was walking along the road when he was confronted by his son.
Blanche was carrying an implement and proceeded to hit his father "four, five times". The victim fell "like a ton of bricks" on the second hit.
Ultimately, he was hit on his legs and back, and suffered a laceration to his head. No word or dialogue was exchanged during the attack.
The victim's head injury had to be treated with stitching glue at University Hospital Waterford (UHW).
Blanche was arrested soon afterwards and made no admissions at the time.
It was heard in court that both parties had had a long-running disagreement over the ownership of the land located next to Blanche's home.
A portion of the land had belonged to his mother, and ex-wife of the victim, who had died shortly before the incident.
There had also been a suggestion of personal animosity between the men over the younger Blanche's upbringing.
In the victim impact statement, the father expressed: "Until then I'd been a fit and active 70-year-old, afterwards I needed help showering and eating. Life will never be the same again."
At the time, Judge O'Kelly stated in court: "If you [Blanche] felt aggrieved, you go to the relevant authorities, instead of beating up elderly men on the side of the road."
In May 2024, Blanche reappeared in court for his sentencing, after the completion of a probation report.
According to defence counsel Garreth Hayden BL: "This wasn't a row over money or land. Mr Blanche accepted that he can't condone an assault."
Mr Hayden added that the bone of the argument was "highly emotive and historical in nature".
The court heard that Blanche had paid upwards of €14,000 in compensation to his father, and agreed to "steer clear of him" if he was to see him again.
Judge O'Kelly said: "This was the culmination of a fractious, complex family dispute, which Christian Blanche accepted that he handled very badly, resorting to violence."
Judge O'Kelly imposed a three and a half year sentence, which he suspended due to Blanche's "comprehensive" probation report and "considerable" sum of compensation.
