A Dublin man who acted like a thug and attacked a student while he was attempting to take money out of an ATM was fined €750 at Galway District Court this week.
Twenty-year-old Maurice Sweeney with an address at 56 Peck’s Lane, Castleknock, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty last Monday to assaulting Kieran Hall causing him harm at CPs nightclub, Galway, on August 2, 2008.
Inspector Pat McHugh told the court that a co-accused had already been dealt with by the court and had been ordered to pay €2,000 in compensation. Inspector McHugh said that the injured party, a student from Cork, had been out in CPs with some friends. Mr Hall had been trying to get some money out of an ATM in the nightclub when an impatient man suddenly told him to get away from the machine. Mr Hall was then punched from behind and hit in the nose.
The court heard that Sweeney then came along and also punched Mr Hall in the forehead. A scuffle involving some witnesses then ensued. Inspector McHugh stressed that it was the co-accused, not Sweeney, who had broken Mr Hall’s nose. He also later said that Sweeney has no previous convictions.
“Two people attacked him over just the ATM,” said Judge Mary Fahy in disbelief.
Defence solicitor Adrian MacLynn said that his client stupidly got involved. He said that Sweeney, who is a student at Blanchardstown College, had first tried to break the situation up. Mr MacLynn added that Sweeney “is genuine in his remorse” and had brought €500 into court as an expression of that remorse.
“He is getting a criminal conviction. Mr Hall was trying to get money out and this man came along, acted like a thug, and hit him in the face,” said Judge Fahy, who then convicted Sweeney and fined him €750 with three months to pay.
