Victim put through 'extraordinary cruelty'
Mackessy received a three year sentence for assaulting the victim, with the last two years suspended.
A man will serve one year in prison for his prolonged, horrific assault on a woman in Waterford.
Anthony Mackessy (42) was remanded in custody in April 2025, by Judge Eugene O'Kelly, pending his sentencing hearing and the preparation of a probation report.
Mackessy, last given address as 2 Seanachaí, Dungarvan, appeared via video link from prison.
On January 13, 2024, he subjected his then-partner to a jealousy-fuelled onslaught of violence, which left her in fear for her life. They had been socialising earlier in the evening in Dungarvan, where he accused other men of staring at her.
He called her a 'whore' and told her to 'f**k off'.
When they returned back to her home, he began attacking her, grabbing her by the neck, pulling her upstairs by the hair, holding a serrated bread knife to her neck. The attack lasted all night, and the woman was able to call her father for help on a phone, at which point Mackessy grabbed the phone and took off in a car. She was brought to hospital and had suffered bruising all over her body.
Two weeks after the assault, Mackessy and the woman got back together and were briefly engaged. Mackessy dismissed and minimised his abuse towards her, commenting that a Section 3 assault charge was "very minor, it's a one-off".' (As of 2025, the maximum penalty for Section 3 Assault is 10 years.)
On Thursday, November 6, the victim attended the sentence hearing in Waterford Courthouse, as did a large number of Mackessy's family. State Prosecutor Niall Storan BL warned Judge O'Kelly about the report which revealed that Mackessy had 'little empathy' or insight into his violence and the pain he subjected on to his partner.
Family, friends, and his HSE employer offered testimonials to his character. His sister described him as "a soft soul who wouldn't hurt anyone". Judge O'Kelly commented: "Clearly she wasn't the lady who was dragged by her hair up the stairs of her house." His estranged wife and ex-girlfriend both submitted references, claiming that he never acted aggressively towards them. The Court heard that his ex-wife has filed a safety order against him some years ago, and he filed a similar order in return.
Mackessy was sentenced to three years in prison, with the final two suspended. The sentence was backdated to April 2025, thus he will be released from prison in five months.
