Assault on couple was ‘unprovoked’
BLACKWATER MAN FACES CUSTODIAL SENTENCE FOR ASSAULT CHARGES
A BLACKWATER man, who attacked a couple holidaying in Killarney, has been warned he is facing a substantial custodial sentence for the ‘unprovoked’ attack.
Timothy O’Sullivan of Gortbrack, Blackwater, Killarney was before Kenmare District Court for assault causing harm on two separate occasions. In one of the incidents, the court heard that Mr O’Sullivan without warning struck a man who was walking back to his hotel in Killarney with his partner.
Mr O’Sullivan had no interaction with the couple before the incident took place and had stepped out in front of them and hit the man, knocking him out.
The injured party was taken to UHK. Mr O’Sullivan had been walking behind the couple on Muckross Road and had gone ahead of them when they stopped for a cigarette. He then stepped out and hit the man. The couple, from Limerick, were in Killarney for St Patrick’s day.
The court was told that, since the accident, the couple now book hotels in town centres for fear of a similar attack occuring.
The second assault took place in Kenmare on May 1, 2017 when Mr O’Sullivan approached a woman on the streeet whose partner was getting food nearby. When the man intervened Mr O’Sullivan attacked him and kicked him in the head.
The court was told that Mr O’Sullivan has a previous assault causing harm charge for which he got the benefit of the Probation Act. His solicitor, Padraig O’Connell, said that his client is accepting culpabality and is “extremely contrite” for what happened.
“He has looked into his soul to see that he is wrong,” he said.
He added that Mr O’Sullivan has a “serious depressive illness” and while there is no medical report in court to prove this, one could be obtained.
Judge David Waters said that Mr O’Sullivan had already been given a chance by the court and following this chance he now has two further assault charges – one completley unprovoked.
“Why attack an innocent couple, what possessed him to do that?” he questioned, adding: “On what basis can I not send him to jail?”.
Mr O’Connell said that Mr O’Sullivan has no memory of what occurred and that it was the result of medication and alcohol. “I am not trying to make excuses, it is merely an explanation about the background to what occurred.”
Judge Waters said that he had no choice but to send Mr O’Sullivan to jail. “If I give him a non custodial sentence for his third conviction in the context that he attacked a couple walking down the street, what can I do if he does the same thing to another couple?”
Mr O’Connell said it was appropriate case for a suspended sentence but Judge Waters said he has already been given a chance by the court and that unless something was put before him other than a vague plea he would send Mr O’Sullivan to jail.
Mr O’Connell argued that a probabtion report might be a the route to go and Judge Waters agreed, adjourning the case until November 2 but added that he wouldn’t promise anything and, as it stood, Mr O’Sullivan was facing a subtancial custodial sentence. Mr O’Sullivan was remanded on contining bail with a curfew in place between 11am and 6am which was altered to allow him to go to work. IT was a memorable day for four Kerry Gardaí and their families when they graduated from Templemore College in Tipperary on Friday last. The latest recruits are Keith Nolan from Rathmore, Mark Egan from Killarney, Daniel Curran from Waterville and Ryan Hill from Tralee.
The Kerry quartet graduated along with 181 other recruits having spent the past eight months training for life in the force. They are now looking forward to starting the next stage of their careers in various stations based in the Munster area. Keith will be based in Cork city, Mark in Fermoy, Daniel in Bandon, while Ryan Hill is to be based in Henry Street Garda Station in Limerick.
The newly appointed Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, spoke at the passing out ceremony about how the guards must continue to work individually and collectively with the victims of crime, and helping to protect the vulnerable and minority communities and the general public they support.