Brother of man who lost eye in chemical attack launches fundraising appeal

Yesterday, father-of-two John Paul Carey (36) was jailed for 10 years for the “cowardly and unprovoked" chemical attack on Francis Costello (40) who suffered severe caustic soda burn injuries to his face.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court was told that Costello prayed he would die such was the horrific pain he suffered as a consequence of the unprovoked attack last year.

Carey pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Francis Costello at Connolly Road in Ballyphehane, Cork on March 4 2022 contrary to Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

He also admitted assault causing harm to Mr Costello's two brothers, John and Roy, at the same location and date contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Now, Roy Costello, who was also left with serious scars on his arms and hands from the caustic solution tossed at him, has created a GoFundMe page for his brother.

On the page that has so far raised €295 of a €10,000 target, Roy Costello writes that: “We were at our family home back in March 2022 when somebody came to our door and threw a corrosive fluid in Francis's face causing burns to his face and head and eye.”

“Francis has already been through countless visits to hospital in Cork to try to save his eye and travelled to Dublin on a number of occasions to meet with specialists with the hope of getting a prosthetic eye when all attempts to save his eye failed and it had to be removed,” Roy states.

“My brother initially spent 10 days in hospital where he underwent plastic surgery on his face and head. He was sent home on morphine and was basically helpless. It was another two weeks after he came home that the doctors took him off the morphine and reality set in.”

Roy adds that the attack took from my brother “in every way”, leaving him “physically, emotionally and mentally scarred”.

“It took him a long time to be able to deal with what has happened to him,” Roy reveals.

“Francis still has a long road ahead of him. He has been told his eye socket is damaged so badly that a prosthetic eye might not be possible.

“He will be travelling to Dublin for operations in the hope that they can repair it enough so he can get his prosthetic eye and be somewhat happier with how he looks after the attack.”

Roy reveals that with medical, travel and living expenses mounting up, “friends and neighbours told me I should make this GoFundMe in the hope to help Francis get his health and life back”.

He adds: “Any donation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.”

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that Carey has 99 previous convictions including convictions for armed robbery, drug possession and assault.

Judge McCourt imposed a ten year prison sentence but agreed to suspend the final six months in light of Carey's plea and other mitigating factors.

He also backdated the sentence to April 18 2022 when Carey was taken into custody.

All three men were struck by a corrosive liquid thrown at them by Carey who has addresses at Dunmanus Crescent in Knocknaheeny, Allihies in west Cork and Glanmire, where he was originally from.

Such were the horrific injuries to Francis Costello's face that his left eye had to be surgically removed in October 2022 after desperate attempts by Cork surgeons to save it failed.

Mr Costello's brother, John, now has only 90pc vision in his right eye and 80pc vision in his left eye.

Francis Costello, a father-of-three, was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital (CUH) where he underwent emergency medical treatment for several weeks.

Gardaí later found a bottle nearby and Detective Inspector Jason Lynch said it was found to have contained a powerful caustic soda solution used for unblocking clogged drains.

In an emotional victim impact statement, Francis Costello said the pain was so great that evening he wanted to die.

The court heard that Mr Costello, who had previously worked in retail, lost his job and is now fearful every day of losing his sight.

Judge McCourt was told that John Paul Carey had been working that day but, after going for a few drinks, had become agitated over a dispute between Mr Costello, Mr Costello's former partner who was now in a relationship with him, and himself.

He called to the Costello family home and, after Francis Costello answered the door, threw the caustic liquid into his face.

The liquid was also thrown on his two brothers who rushed to help their sibling when they heard him screaming in agony and writhing on the ground by the front door.

Judge McCourt was told that the incident occurred while Carey was under the provisions of a suspended portion of a four year and six month sentence imposed for the armed robbery of Little Island Post Office on February 5 2020.

Carey had also received a ten year prison sentence, with the final five years suspended, for drug offences.

"Not only were these attacks cowardly but they were unprovoked," Judge McCourt said.

"The level of harm visited on Francis Costello is appalling. This (offence) clearly falls at the upper end of the scale."

Judge McCourt agreed to suspend the final six months of the 10 year prison sentence on the basis of Carey entering into a bond to keep the peace for one year on his release from prison.