SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR ASSAULT

MEMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES LEFT WITH SERIOUS INJURIES

A 24-YEAR-OLD Wexford town man has been handed a fiveyear suspended sentence for an assault which left a member of the Defence Forces with severe facial injuries.

Adam Pitman, of 35 King Street, Wexford, pleaded guilty before Judge Barry Hickson at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court, to assaulting Kevin Campbell at Commercial Quay, Wexford, on November 20, 2015.

Garda Eamon Cahill told the court that as the result of a telephone call to Wexford Garda Station he attended the scene of an assault at Commercial Quay. As part of his investigations, he collected CCTV footage from Mooney’s on The Quay, after which three males were identified.

Garda Cahill said that Adam Pitman was subsequently arrested and admitted hitting Mr. Campbell, once. The victim, he said, was a member of the Defence Forces. He also said that along with the CCTV a number of statements also led Gardai to the defendant.

Garda Cahill said Mr. Campbell was badly injured and brought to A&E at Wexford General Hospital, having been kicked in the head. He had a laceration over his left eye, marks on his chin, and swelling to the jaw, all the result of a kick to the face. He was later diagnosed with a fractured jaw.

The garda witness said Mr Campbell, was tranferred to St. James Hospital in Dublin, where he had an operation to have a plate inserted in his jaw.

Garda Cahill said that from the CCTV footage, Mr. Campbell was identified leaving the pub and the defendant was seen striking him in the face, while a co-accused was also observed in the incident. As a result of the injuries received Mr. Campbell was at a financial loss of €1,520.

In a Victim Impact Statement read into the court, the assault victim said that as a result of the attack he found it difficult to associate with friends when out, while it also affected his career prospects as he had missed courses and training. He also said the injuries affected his ability to speak and eat.

Garda Cahill told the court the defendant had a number of previous convictions.

Ms Siobhan Pitman, sister of the defendant, said he started using recreational drugs when about 13 years of age which affected him in every way. She also said the split up of his father and mother also affected him.

She said that when his mother passed away last month he was unable to attend the funeral as he was in custody. He had also made an application to the High Court to attend in Scotland for treatment for his drug use but was refused.