THE senior IRA figure Pearse McAuley inflicted what can only be described as a savage and cowardly attack on his estranged wife, Pauline Tully, in front of their young children at the family home in Cavan last Christmas Eve morning.
A court heard that a drunken McAuley, who was previously convicted of killing Garda Jerry McCabe, punched Ms Tully in the face when she opened her front door and then stabbed her repeatedly as she lay on the floor over the next two and a half hours.
The victim, a former Sinn Fein councillor, courageously set out a full account of her ordeal because she wanted to encourage all those who suffered domestic violence to come forward.
It should be acknowledged that McAuley pleaded guilty, expressed remorse for his actions, and has attempted to obtain treatment for his alcoholism, but it will still be widely felt that the eight-year sentence he received on Wednesday, with a further four years suspended, was lenient in all the circumstances.
