One year in jail for assault on the Main Street

A BRIDGETOWN man who pleaded guilty to an assault on Wexford Main Street causing serious harm has been sent to prison for a year.

Darren Ryan, of 8 Lakelands, Bridgetown, pleaded guilty at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Voon Chin at South Main Street, Wexford, on September 23, 2014.

Garda Alan Hayes told the court that the defendant was arraigned on April 12 and pleaded guilty.

On the night in question a telephone call was received at Wexford Garda Station of a disturbance at South Main Street. On arrival at the scene, Garda Hayes saw two males lying on the ground. The defendant, who was intoxicated, was arrested, while the other man, Voon Chin, was found with blood on his face from a cut over his eye. He said that subsequently, in a statement, Mr Chin made a complaint that he was assaulted by the defendant as he walked along South Main Stret.

Garda Hayes told the court that Mr. Chin said the defendant asked him for a cigarette. When he said he had none he was struck in the face with the defendant’s clenched fist. He suffered a number of blows and he did not remember anything after that.

Garda Hayes said that when Ryan was later interviewed he said he did not remember much about the incident, but he was identified on CCTV footage. Mr. Chin was treated in the A&E at Wexford General Hospital. He received a five centimetre laceration over his eye which needed seven stitches.

The defendant, said Garda Hayes, had a number of previous convictions.

Defence Counsel, Dylan Redmond, said that this was a drink-fuelled incident. He stated that when his client was later interviewed at Wexford Garda Station, he was very co-operative. He was born and raised in Cork, coming to Wexford in 2006, and had been in trouble with the gardai in recent times.

Mr Redmond said Ryan, who is now 35, had spent six years of his young life in custody. His partner’s family are in Wexford and he intended to settle in the town. He is on €188 social welfare per week and had got together the sum of €500 which is available to Mr. Chin to cover some of his medical costs.

Judge Hickson said there was no doubt but that the defendant was aggressive in the incident, and that while he is on €188 social welfare per week, he still had sufficient money to buy drink. He said the defendant had a bad record and he must impose a prison sentence.

Judge Hickson imposed a two-year jail sentence, suspending the final twelve months for a period of five years, on the defendant entering a bond of €100 to keep the peace for that period.

He also ordered that the defendant contact the Probation and Welfare services and follow all of their directions, particularly in relation to drink.