A Mullingar man is to spend 22 months in prison following conviction for what Judge Neilan called “a most vicious assault” on a number of people at a 21st birthday party.
Garda Brigid Byrne was called to a disturbance at the Newbury Hotel at 11.20pm on October 26. There, Niall Flynn of Greenpark Meadows was being restrained by security guard, Joe Herraty.
He was drunk and very aggressive and had bitten the security man on the arm, had punched another man, Joe Murray in the face when he went to intervene in a row between Mr Flynn and his girlfriend, and caused a number of injuries to Chris Daly when he attempted to assist Mr Murray.
The garda described how Mr Daly had been covered in blood and had a deep laceration to his left cheek.
Mr Flynn had also inadvertently struck Danielle Jordan when she intervened as he fought with Joe Murray. She rolled down steps and suffered several injuries.
He was abusive to the garda, telling her she would do a strip dance for him. He called a male garda a “pr**k” and threatened to “get him”.
He also added that Judge Neilan would do nothing to him “only give him a fine”, said Garda Byrne.
Ms Susan Fay said the other men, excluding Mr Herrity had also been drinking but Mr Flynn, who has spent 12 weeks on a residential course to treat his alcohol addiction, said he was blaming no one but himself for the incident.
Ms Fay said the apprentice electrician wanted “to face the charges and get on with my life” and he thanked the court for giving him the opportunity to avail of treatment.
However, Judge Neilan said Mr Flynn had ample opportunity to deal with his alcohol difficulties following a drink-driving conviction in 2006.
He said Mr Herrity would have had medical tests done after the “awesome viciousness” of being bitten through his clothes to the extent that blood was running down his arm.
He described the injuries sustained by Mr Daly as “extreme by any standards,” saying “his face is in a mess”, after viewing photographs.
Subjecting Garda Byrne to the words he had used showed “a capacity for viciousness and vindictiveness”, he said.
Because the assaults were “on the extreme end of the scale” for assault and assault causing harm, he imposed 11 month consecutive sentences for the offences against Mr Daly and Mr Herrity and five month concurrent sentences for the offences against Mr Murray and Danielle Jordan.
Sentences were also imposed for a number of public order offences.
He said he recalled Mr Flynn’s previous behaviour in court and said there were no mitigating factors in his favour, especially since he had not brought a cent in compensation.
Mr Flynn has lodged an appeal and was released on bail.
