Limerick Circuit Court Sentencing Summary
| Defendant | Address | Sentence Imposed | Suspended Portion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Chawke (31) | Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2 | 2 years and 6 months | Final 12 months suspended |
| Alison Chawke (41) | The Beeches, Holywell, Goatstown, Dublin 14 | 2 years and 2 months | Final 14 months suspended |
Alison and Bill Chawke pictured arriving at the court during their legal proceedings.
Details of the Vicious Dunraven Arms Attack
The court heard that the violent altercation took place on November 9, 2023, at the historic Dunraven Arms Hotel in Adare, Co. Limerick. The two victims, John McHugh (aged in his 50s) and Gerard Cox, were enjoying a drink when they were suddenly targeted by the heavily intoxicated siblings.
According to prosecuting counsel Lily Buckley, instructed by State Solicitor Brendan Gill, the conflict began after Bill Chawke repeatedly demanded food from hotel staff past midnight. When the night manager informed him that the kitchen was closed, Chawke grew “stubborn and arrogant,” continuously ringing the manager’s phone line to press the issue.
In an effort to defuse the situation, victim Gerard Cox politely requested that Bill Chawke stop harassing the bar staff. This prompted Chawke to approach Mr. Cox, instigating a verbal argument before lunging at him and striking him.
Vicious Assault Captured on CCTV and Mobile Phone Footage
As onlookers attempted to restrain Bill Chawke, his sister Alison Chawke joined the fray. While she initially tried to pull her brother away, she quickly began throwing kicks and punches at both victims. CCTV and mobile phone footage played in court captured the severity of the violence:
- Glass Throwing: Alison Chawke was filmed going behind the bar counter, picking up a pint glass, and hurling it at the victims. Fortunately, the glass did not shatter.
- Facial Biting: In the hotel lobby, while Bill Chawke wrestled Mr. Cox on the ground, Alison Chawke “locked onto” the left side of John McHugh’s face, biting him hard on his left cheek.
- Kicking: Ms. Chawke delivered multiple targeted kicks to Mr. McHugh’s head while he was being held down on the floor.
“I did not do anything to draw such a vicious response.” — Victim Gerard Cox in statements to Gardaí, adding that he felt his eyes were being gouged during the assault.
Victim Injuries and Arrests
Both victims suffered severe physical and psychological consequences as a result of the unprovoked attack:
- Gerard Cox: Suffered a swollen eyelid, facial bruising, a black eye, intense pain in his cheekbone, and ongoing mental trauma.
- John McHugh: Suffered a deep bite wound to his left cheek, multiple abrasions across his face, forehead, and ears, soft tissue damage to his neck and shoulders, and severe psychological distress.
Following the attack, Bill Chawke later met with Gardaí by appointment. Alison Chawke was arrested directly at the Dunraven Arms Hotel after refusing to provide officers with her name, stating at the time that she did not want her well-known father to find out about the incident.
“A Stain on Adare Village” — Defense Mitigation
Defending counsel Hugh Hartnett SC (for Bill Chawke) and Mark Nicholas SC (for Alison Chawke) urged the judge to spare the siblings jail time. They pointed to their early guilty pleas and the fact that neither sibling had any prior criminal convictions.
The defense acknowledged that the incident had brought immense “embarrassment” to the highly respected Chawke business family. Mr. Nicholas remarked that the highly publicized crime has left a permanent “stain” on Adare village, where the Chawke family operates several commercial pub properties, adding: “You make your bed, and you must lie in it.”
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