Victim of ‘horrific’ attack at Take That concert had clumps of hair ripped out

A CONCERT-GOER took part in a “horrific” drink-fuelled attack on a woman at a Take That concert, leaving the victim with clumps of her hair ripped out.

Mother-of-two Sharon Byrne (34) is the second woman to admit assaulting the victim in a violent row that started over a spilled drink.

Byrne, a personal assistant in a property firm, was drunk and “mis-read” the situation when she assaulted the woman, who was traumatised by being dragged and kicked around Dublin’s 3 Arena.

Judge John Hughes gave Byrne a six-month suspended sentence and ordered her to pay €5,000 compensation.

The accused, from Dundalk but with an address at St Helen’s Road, Harrogate, England, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and violent disorder.

Garda Adrian Cahill told Dublin District Court the victim and her husband were at the concert on May 16, 2017, when an argument occurred between them and another group of people, one of whom was Byrne. The argument originated over a spilled drink.

The victim said the other people were highly intoxicated throughout the concert, “to the annoyance of them and other people around”.

They were in close proximity to each other and there was “a bit of a coming together”.

The victim said she was

The argument originated over a spilled drink

kicked and punched to the head and body and had large clumps of hair pulled out of her scalp. She was in a state of shock when gardaí spoke to her at the scene.

Byrne wept as the sentence was suspended for a year and she was ordered to pay compensation within that time.

A co-accused, Gemma Finnegan (30), of Ballybay Road, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentence.