‘Neighbour from hell’ avoids jail term after assault

A “neighbour from hell” who was caught on CCTV attacking a woman in her front garden, pulling out seven centimetres of hair from her head, has avoided a jail term, reports Isabel Hayes and Fiona Ferguson.

Belinda Daly (60) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of assault causing harm to her neighbour at her home on Windmill Avenue, Crumlin on February 28, 2021.

The court heard there had been a longstanding disagreement between the neighbours over a minor falling-out between other members of their families, but that the assault by Daly was “a significant escalation in this dispute”.

In CCTV footage taken from her own home on the day in question, Daly can be seen standing in her garden beside her neighbour’s window until the woman came out of her home. Daly then reached over the wall, grabbed her neighbour’s hair and held onto it, leaving the woman immobile against the wall before she eventually managed to escape her grip.

Daly has no previous convictions, Marc Thompson BL, prosecuting, told the court. A trial date was taken in the case, before Daly entered a guilty plea earlier this year.

In a victim-impact statement, which she read out at a previous hearing, the injured party told the court Daly was “a neighbour from hell”.

“Even today, I’m still terrified, afraid of being attacked again,” she said, adding that she had frequent thoughts of “the evil unleashed on me that she had planned.”

The woman outlined a number of medical issues she had suffered as a result of the attack, with a medical letter also handed into court. The court heard she suffered alopecia of the scalp, with hair loss extending to seven centimetres across her head due to “the ferocity of the attack”, her GP wrote.

She has to have regular nerve-blocking injections to her neck, suffers from frequent headaches and migraines, has PTSD, severe anxiety and intermittent nose bleeds. She is on daily pain medication.

Brian Storan BL, defending, said his client wished to express her regret and remorse for her behaviour, which she takes full responsibility for. He said Daly had reached the age of 60 without ever being on the garda radar, and she is “properly ashamed of this violent assault on her neighbour”.

The court heard Daly has two adult children and a grandchild. She has worked in a number of areas, including domestic violence shelters. The conviction will have a significant impact on her employment, the court heard.

Defence counsel said Daly was struggling with anxiety issues related to her work at the time of the assault. “She doesn’t blame the victim in this case at all,” he said.

Sentencing Daly, Judge Orla Crowe said there was clearly a long history between the parties with “a lot of bad blood.” But she said this was a very significant outbreak of violence, and no matter what was going on, nothing justified what Daly did on the day.

She noted the parties are no longer neighbours, with the victim’s house having gone on the market prior to the assault. She noted that whatever difficulties there had been between the parties were going to be coming to an end.

Judge Crowe said neighbours frequently don’t get on and matters can escalate, but they should not escalate to this level. She said it was a terrifying incident and shameful behaviour.

She said Daly had a long work history in the voluntary sector and in domestic violence services. She said this was very useful and valuable work, and the conviction will have a knock-on effect on her employment.

She noted Daly has attended psychotherapy and has medical issues. She said a work-related issue at the time of the assault was outlined not as an excuse, but as some explanation.

The judge said in relation to the assault that Daly had “lain in wait” and that the assault had a terrible impact on the injured party. She said the level of force used was noteworthy.

Judge Crowe took into account the mitigation factors, including her lack of convictions, remorse and good work history.

She set a headline sentence of two years and six months. After taking all matters into account, she imposed a sentence of two years, which she suspended in full for three years.

Judge Crowe set a number of conditions, including that Daly should have no contact physically, electronically or digitally with the injured party.