A row which broke out outside the Traveller’s Friend in Castlebar involving a number of men in which one man received stitches and a broken nose, led to two men being charged with section three assaults.
Garda William Grant outlined to Castlebar District Court on Wednesday that on January 26 this year at 3am a call was received at Castlebar Garda Station that a row had erupted outside the nightclub. However, when Gda Grant arrived at the scene all parties had dispersed. The following day two men reported to the garda station that they had been victims of an assault and on Februray 13 CCTV was viewed by Gda Grant, who identified two suspects — Jake McBride, 23 Drumconlon Close, Moneen, Castlebar and Shannon Keoghane, 18 Hollowgrove, Castlebar. Both men were subsequently arrested.
The CCTV footage viewed by the garda showed Mr Lukasz Sczeneak being struck in the face and being kicked in the head and body. Mr Sczeneak was left with injuries to his face including three stitches and a broken nose. Mr Peter Rushdine was also assaulted which left him with a black eye.
Defending solicitor for both men, Aidan Crowley, said that several people were involved in the fight that night and that following a number of words which were exchanged by both groups of men a row ensued. Mr Crowley explained that there was previous history between a friend of the injured parties — Mr Shane Cunningham — and Keoghane, who had refused to serve him alcohol in a bar previously, and that might have been a contributing factor to the escalation of the row that night.
Keoghane also faced charges of possession and the unlawful sale of ecstasy tablets after he was detected with 54 tablets on March 17 this year. The defendant admitted that he purchased 100 tablets and sold 46. The profit made from the sale of the tablets (€200 cash ) was confiscated by gardaí.
Both men according to their solicitor have no previous convictions. Judge Devins said that she was “ a little uneasy about the matter” and ordered that a probation report be prepared for both men and adjourned the matter for sentencing to March 4 2009.
