Laois motorist assaulted man and his girlfriend after following him home
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A LOCAL man who assaulted another man after following him to his house because he beeped his horn at him was sentenced to 120 hours of community service at last week’s sitting of the local district court.
Garda sgt JJ Kirby said that at 3pm on 18 May 2024 while a man, with his six-year-old twins, was driving along the Dublin Road, the accused drove out in front of him. The injured party beeped his horn. The accused followed him in his car to his house where he initially verbally abused him before striking him in the face with a clenched fist. He said that the injured party’s girlfriend tried to intervene, but Mr O’Shea punched her in the back before leaving the scene.
The 40-year-old defendant, Paul O’Shea from Mell Street, Kilminchy, Portlaoise had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assault at Kilminchy Close, Portlaoise and to two counts of dangerous driving at Kilminchy Close and Dublin Road, Portlaoise.
He had been ordered to take part in the Restorative Justice Programme.
Sgt Kirby said that the defendant had 50 previous convictions.
Mr O’Shea’s solicitor, Josephine Fitzpatrick, said her client had completed the Restorative Justice Programme as directed by the court and had brought a second sum of €500 to court.
Ms Fitzpatrick said that the Restorative Justice report says that her client had engaged fully with them and taken on board the views of the injured party. He completed those views, she said, that included taking part in an anger management course and a driver awareness programme.
Ms Fitzpatrick said that Mr O’Shea: “Expresses his remorse and wanted to make amends. He has come a long way since May 2024 and is urging the court to finalise matters.” Judge Susan Fay noted that the defendant had completed the six sessions of the Restorative Justice Programme, engaged fully with the probation services and had done what had been required of him.
She convicted Mr O’Shea of the assaults and ordered he completes 60 hours’ community service on each, to run consecutively in lieu of two four-month consecutive sentences. For dangerous driving, the defendant was convicted and sentenced to three months suspended for two years and disqualified from driving for two years.
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