‘One of the greatest blackguards to have ever hit the courts’

DISTRICT Court judge James O’Connor described a Ballyduff youth with 16 previous convictions as ‘one of the greatest blackguards to have ever hit the courts’ prior to lengthening a prison sentence he is already serving for three months on a charge of assault.

Darragh McCarthy (18), Main Street, Ballyduff, was before Listowel District Court on Thursday charged with assaulting another man, who he ‘punched two or three times into the side of the head’ on October 14 of last year.

Gardaí said his victim didn’t suffer any lasting injuries as a result of the assault.

Of the 16 previous convictions Mr McCarthy has, four were for assault and the court heard that the defendant –who appeared in custody – is currently serving two two-year prison sentences with two years suspended from an earlier Circuit Court hearing, with the term of his imprisonment up on October 21 of 2017.

Solicitor Pádraig O’Connell told the court his client, who has just turned 18, was taking steps to address his behaviour within the prison system.

But Judge O’Connor cut him short, saying: “This fellow is one of the greatest blackguards to ever hit the courts, a thorough scamp of the highest order at only 18 years of age.

“Say whatever you want to say [addressing Mr O’Connell], but don’t start praising him,” Judge O’Connor remarked, as he sentenced the youth to an additional three months’ imprisonment on the assault charge.