Laois man must pay €6,000 for vicious pub assault
The case was adjourned again at Portlaoise District Court. File image
A MAN who took out a loan to pay €4,000 compensation to a man he viciously assaulted, in an unprovoked attack in a Laois pub, was told that he needed to raise another €2,000 at Portlaoise District Court last week.
At a previous court sitting of the case, James Dooley from Cloneygown, Portarlington pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 22 February in Burbage’s Public House, Main Street, Portarlington.
Victim Gary Slattery told that sitting how the unprovoked assault had affected him and his family’s life since the incident.
The 42-year-old 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.
While he was in the pub toilet and standing at the urinal, Mr Dooley approached him from behind and smashed his head against a window in front of him. A friend of his intervened and Mr Dooley ran out of the pub.
Mr Slattery said that he was left with permanent scarring from the assault and had to cancel a family holiday that they had booked in May. As a result of the incident, he has suffered from depression and attended counselling.
The court was told that the 47-year-old defendant had never come to the attention of gardaí before the incident.
A letter of apology from Mr Dooley, which was read out at the previous sitting, 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 I 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.’
When the case resumed last week solicitor for Mr Dooley, Philip Meagher, said that while his client’s “financial circumstances were not very strong,” he had taken out a loan to get €4,000 by way of compensation.
Judge Susan Fay asked: “Can there be any more added to the €4,000?”
Mr Meagher replied: “At a push, he may be able to get another €2,000 in six months. He works as a lorry driver.”
Judge Fay said she noted that the injured party in the case said that he was not interested in money but she also noted that his family was in great difficulty over the incident.
She went on to order that the €4,000 in court be given over to the injured party and adjourned the case to 22 June, to allow time for Mr Dooley to have the remaining €2,000 in court.
