Men were punched at pub

Judge John Coughlan suggested the defendant come up with €1,000 for each of the parties

A MAN who punched two men in the face and bit one of the men while on a night out has been ordered to come up with €4,000 in compensation if he wants to avoid a conviction.

Darren Mulroy (41) was with another man, who has since passed away, in Keogh’s pub in Ballymakenny when they encountered the two injured parties.

Inspector Brendan Cadden told the court one of the injured party’s walked out the front door of the pub where he met the defendant and the co-accused. The co-accused had pointed his finger at the injured party and ‘was not making sense’, said Insp Cadden.

The defendant then hit the injured party with his fist. The injured party fell to the ground and received cuts to his arm and a swollen eye as a result.

The second injured party tried to intervene but the defendant and the other person punched him in the face and bit him on the face.

This injured party had to attend hospital for treatment.

The defendant, of Fieldstown in Monasterboice pleaded guilty before Drogheda District Court to assaulting the two men contrary to Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act on April 12th, 2015. He has no previous convictions.

Defence barrister Irene Sands said the defendant was on a night out when ‘words were exchanged’ about a different incident which did not involve the injured parties. ‘Drink had been taken,’ she said.

Apologising to both injured parties the defendant said ‘I am apologetic. I do apologise.’

Judge John Coughlan suggested the defendant come up with €1,000 for each of the injured parties.

However, Insp Cadden said the injured parties ‘are not happy. They want a conviction.’

Responding to this, Judge Coughlan said ‘Can we just calm it down? He’s apologetic and he has no previous convictions,’ and asked the injured parties would they ‘ take a sum of money.’

Both injured parties agreed to accept €2,000 each from the defendant. Judge Coughlan adjourned the case until December for the defendant to come up with the money and said ‘I think all are being fair. It was a stupid thing to happen and let’s forget about it now and get on with life.’