2 years for kicking man 18 times in the head
VICTIM ‘TREATED LIKE FOOTBALL’
A YOUNG father-of-two who kicked a man 18 times in the head has been jailed for two years.
John ‘Nipper’ Sweeney appeared before Letterkenny Circuit Court in Co Donegal following the attack in Letterkenny on September 29, 2022.
Horrific footage of the attack was broadcast in court as part of CCTV evidence, which showed the accused repeatedly kicking his victim in the head.
Detective Garda Johnny Sweeney had previously told the court this was the worst attack he has seen in 20 years of service.
He said at one stage on the CCTV Sweeney is seen “kicking the victim several times continuously and at one stage running up to him akin to kicking a football.”
Detective Garda Declan O’Keefe said Gardai encountered traffic at a standstill at Lower Main Street in Letterkenny while an incident took place at Burnside Apartments at 4.20pm.
A number of people were present and Gardai noticed a man trying to stand up who had cuts to his head.
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Another man who they knew as John ‘Nipper’ Sweeney, who was drunk and unsteady on his feet with blood on his mouth and forehead, was shouting at Gardai: “Arrest me. He assaulted me.”
Detective O’Keefe told how video footage from what had happened had been uploaded and had gone viral on social media.
However, a vacuum had been created after the incident as no complaints had been made.
The court was told fatherof-two Sweeney (29) has 69 previous convictions but just one for assault.
Judge John Aylmer said he noted the accused had not offended from 2016 until 2022 and was anxious to turn his life around before committing a dangerous driving incident and then getting involved in this incident.
He noted Sweeney was genuinely remorseful and was also anxious to get on with his rehabilitation and to eventually get employment.
The judge reduced the fouryear sentence to three years in prison, suspending the final 12 months on condition that he be of good behaviour, go under the supervision of the Probation Services and abstain from alcohol and drugs.