Thug who sliced off ex-wife's ear has appeal for freedom dismissed
A thug who sliced off part of his ex-wife’s ear with a flick knife has failed to convince top judges to overturn his convictions and set him free.
Patrick Reilly was originally locked up for nine years at Wolverhampton Crown Court on December 12 last year.
But London’s Appeal Court ruled that ‘unduly lenient’ in January and Reilly, from Leicestershire, had his sentence upped to 14 years. His ex-partner lived in Bloxwch at the time of the attack.
Reilly, of Rugby Close, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, argued before the same London court that his convictions were ‘unsafe’.
The 38-year-old had been found guilty of wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article, Judge Nicholas Dean QC said.
He attacked his ex-wife, Kathleen Reilly, on April 4 last year because she had left him and he wanted to make sure no man would ever ‘look at her again’.
Reilly complained of ‘inconsistencies and contradictions’ in the evidence, but Judge Dean said these were ‘matters for the jury to consider’.
He also pointed out that he had been convicted by a jury of 11, not 12, but the judge said ‘no unfairness’ was caused by one juror being discharged.
Reilly argued the trial should have been adjourned so that he could seek expert evidence on whether the victim’s injury was caused by a knife or a bite. But Judge Dean said the trial judge was ‘quite right not to do so’.
“There are no arguable grounds that the convictions were in any way less than safe,” ruled the judge, who was sitting with Lord Justice Davis and Mr Justice King.
The appeal was dismissed.
