Laois man charged with cowardly unprovoked assault in pub toilet 

A VICTIM described how an unprovoked assault in a local pub has affected him and his family, when he spoke at Portlaoise District Court.

The 42-year-old outlined events surrounding the attack when defendant James Dooley from Cloneygown, Portarlington pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 22 February in Burbage’s pub, Main Street, Portarlington.

Reading from his victim impact statement, Portarlington man Gary Slattery said: “On 22 February, I was subjected to an unprovoked and vicious assault from James Dooley. The ramifications of that has had a serious effect on both my life and that of my family.” He said that his partner, who had been recovering from a serious medical condition and whom he had cared for over the Christmas period, had encouraged him to go out to meet friends that evening.

Mr Slattery said: “I attended Burgage’s at 5.30pm and consumed one drink. I had no interaction with James Dooley whatsoever. I had gone to the toilet. I was standing at the urinal. I did not see Mr Dooley come in. When I was standing there, Mr Dooley approached me from behind and smashed my head against a window in front of me.

“The window broke. I was cut and there was blood everywhere. When I turned around, Mr Dooley was standing in front of me. I asked why he had done it. He said I did not hit you. He came up to my face. A friend of mine intervened and at that point Mr Dooley turned and ran out of the pub.

“I asked the owners to ring the gardaí, but they refused. They neither called the guards nor an ambulance, they simply wanted me off the premises.” Mr Slattery said: “The assault took place around 6.15pm. I went straight from the pub to the A&E in Portlaoise hospital for treatment to my injuries. I sustained bruising to my head and cuts to my face, nose, forehead and head. I required several stiches and have been left with permanent scarring.” He said that it was his daughter’s birthday the following day but he couldn’t attend, because his face was so badly damaged with bruises and cuts. They had to cancel a family holiday they had booked in May.

Mr Slattery said: “The incident has affected the relationship with my family, because of the stress and anxiety that I have suffered because of the assault. As a result of the incident, I suffered from depression and ended up in bed for three weeks. I am attending counselling. So far, I’ve had 21 sessions and now attending once a fortnight.

“I welcome the fact that Mr Dooley pleaded guilty to the assault. It saved me the upset and anguish of having to give evidence at the hearing. However, there’s been no apology or remorse from Mr Dooley. In addition to that, he resides in proximity from where I live. I recently passed him on the road and when he saw me, he smiled.” The self-employed building maintenance provider said: “The vicious assault on me cannot be understated. Because it’s compounded as Mr Dooley obviously derives pleasure from the fact that he had inflicted pain and hardship on me and on my family, for no apparent reason. I suspect that his lawyers will stand up in court and read out his apology and remorse for the incident and provide some explanation for his actions. There can be no acceptable explanation for one individual attacking and assaulting another individual for absolutely no reason.

“I simply want nothing to do with Mr Dooley. He hit me from behind when I was standing at the urinal and he ran away. It was a cowardly act. There are many families in this country that are missing loved ones as a result of similar, cowardly one-punch assaults.

“I was lucky enough not to have lost an eye or that my neck was not cut from the glass in the window. Mr Dooley has shown no remorse. In fact, when he smiled at me on the road, I got the sense that he took some source of sadistic pleasure seeing me and recalling the incident. In these circumstances I feel he has the propensity to carry out further assaults of this nature. I just want this over with. It’s after messing me up.” Garda Sergent JJ Kirby said the 47-year-old defendant had never come to the attention of the gardaí.

Mr Dooley’s solicitor Philip Meagher said that his client has no knowledge of Mr Slattery’s assertion that he passed him on the street, “and certainly does not derive any form of pleasure from the fact that he is in pain or hardship”.

Mr Meagher said: “Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it would be the complete opposite. He is beside himself in expressing his regret, his shame and his utter disgust at his behaviour that evening. He has asked me to express in open court his absolute regret, absolute apology and his absolute shame. He has penned a letter of regret to Mr Slattery.” That letter was read out in open court.

It said: ‘I am writing to you with deep remorse and a sincere desire to apologise for my actions on 22 February. The shoulder/shove which caused you to hit your head off the glass window was totally wrong and I’m deeply sickened by the injuries that you received. There has not been one day that has passed since that I have not recalled that day and my serious and wrong actions. There are no excuses for my behaviour. I was wrong.

‘I acknowledge that my actions were hurtful and had serious consequences for you and your family. I can only image how my actions have impacted your life, and for that I am truly sorry. I know this apology cannot begin to make up for everything that has happened, but I hope it’s a start.’ Mr Meagher said that his client had brought a sum of €1,000 to court as a small token of his huge shame and regret. The solicitor said: “He appreciates, perhaps, that Mr Slattery might not wish to accept that, but it is available to him.” Mr Meagher said he also had a letter from Mr Dooley’s employer, setting out how well regarded his client is as a lorry driver.

Mr Meagher said his client admitted that, when he entered the toilet that evening, he made a comment to Mr Slattery and a comment was returned.

Mr Meagher said: “But Mr Dooley totally and utterly over-reacted and struck Mr Slattery to the rear, not intending that his head would come into contact with the window. He simply meant to jostle him, but not what happened.” Mr Meagher said his client is “a normal, hardworking family man” and hasn’t been drinking since.” Judge Susan Fay said she would be imposing a custodial sentence on Mr Dooley. However, she said that she would like to refer the case for a Restorative Justice report before passing sentence, if Mr Slattery wished to engage in that process.

The judge said: “Even if the Restorative Justice is engaged with, I want to make it very clear that a custodial sentence is very much on the table.” She also said that the defendant has to reconsider the amount of compensation he has offered.

Judge Fay remanded Mr Dooley on continuing bail to 26 January 2026 and asked for a probation report on the defendant in the meantime.