€10,000 paid over to victim of serious Sligo street assault

JUDGE Kevin Kilrane has said cases of young men viciously assaulting others on nights out had almost become an ‘epidemic’.

The judge made the comments before applying the Probation Act to a Sligo student who assaulted a 17-year-old boy.

Thomas O’Hehir of Booegan, Strandhill Road appeared before Sligo District Court to finalise the matter which he had pleaded guilty to last year. O’Hehir assaulted the 17-year-old when he himself was 19-years-old on October 15 th, 2017 at Bridge Street. The victim had gone to school with O’Hehir.

The victim had been told by friends who witnessed the assault, that O’Hehir struck him in the back of the head and struck him again while he was on the ground.

He was hospitalised overnight, suffered bruising to his eye and head but had no lasting injuries.

Last Thursday’s court was told O’Hehir had paid €10,000 in compensation and had completed volunteer work with a number of charities, including Enable Ireland and the NCBI.

Addressing the court, O’Hehir apologised to the victim and his family and wished them well in the future. He said he was full of remorse and said he wanted his parents to be proud of him in the future.

Judge Kilrane described the assault as ‘very serious’ and said drunken attacks were ‘a blight on the country’ prior to public houses closing.

“Young men were engaging in extremely violent and gratuitous violence, usually in fast food places,” said Judge Kilrane.

“We talk of a pandemic, but this is almost an epidemic, young men assaulting people without warning. Taking into account that compensation had been paid and volunteer work done, the judge applied the Probation Act.