A 26-year-old man was ordered to pay €15,000 in compensation for a Mike Tyson-like assault during heated five-a-side football tackling in which he bit a fellow player’s ear.
Before imposing a 12 month suspended sentence on Darragh Nagle, Judge Raymond Groarke described the attack as an “outrageous act”. However he acknowledged that a guilty plea had been entered at the first available opportunity and that genuine remorse has been shown by Nagle.
Galway Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday that Nagle of 2 Forster Park, Salthill, had been playing five-a-side indoor football match on September 28, 2009, when rough tackling ensued. There had been a lot of pushing between the players which then became a bit “heated” and Nagle “lost it” biting Claregalway man Vincent Fahy’s ear, taking an inch and a half chunk off. The court further heard that Nagle had known Mr Fahy quite well as they had played with each other for almost five years. As a result of the incident Mr Fahy underwent plastic surgery two days later.
Mr Fahy told the court that he had received the injury to his left ear and that skin had been used to cover and repair it. He then told Judge Groarke that he has since made a full recovery and that he had no wish to ruin Nagle’s life.
Defence counsel Brendan Browne BL said that his client has no previous convictions, that he comes from a good family background, and was currently working at UCHG. He added that Nagle wished to offer an “unreserved apology” to Mr Fahy and that his client has since taken steps to undergo rehabilitation including anger management counselling.
Mr Browne then informed the court that as a gesture of his remorse Nagle had brought into court a sum of €6,000 and has made efforts to raise a further €9,000.
“This was an outragous act, to bite a part of an ear off. Mr Fahy has adopted a very generous attitude to this,” said Judge Groarke, before granting a short adjournment.
When the case resumed Mr Browne informed Judge Groarke that the injured party is prepared to accept the €15,000 in compensation from Nagle and that this sum has been paid in the form of a cheque.
“I am delighted to hear that has happened. This is clearly an incident which happened in the heat of the moment and it was out of character for Mr Nagle... He put up his hands, took responsibility for this nasty and serious assault. He then went for anger management, that has to impress me. I’ve taken into account his plea and I am satisfied that he is not likely to re-offend,” said Judge Groarke, before imposing a 12 month sentence suspended on condition that Nagle enter into a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for a period of 12 months and that the sum of €15,000 is paid
