A man who punched a person a number of times in the face has been given a five month prison sentence.
Judge John Neilan adjourned the sentence for a community service report in the case of William Scott.
The court heard the victim had been making a delivery from a Chinese restaurant at around 8pm on September 26 2009 when he heard Scott call his name.
Scott was drunk and verbally abusive and punched the man in the face a number of times, causing a soreness and a swollen jaw.
The incident was reported by locals who saw what happened.
Scott, who has four previous convictions, is a father of four in his mid-thirties, solicitor Louis Kiernan told the court.
He said his client had been in trouble in his youth but when a nine-and-a-half year long relationship broke up last year because of his alcohol abuse he ended up in more trouble.
He has lost his driver’s licence and with it his work and is now back living with his mother, trying to get treatment.
“His life had gone downhill,” said the solicitor.
Judge Neilan told Scott he had to make choices for himself and that alcohol was probably undoing the good of medication he was getting for other issues.
“The victim was going about his daily business, trying to make a living,” pointed out the judge and said that there was a continuing issue with young people drinking at Boreen Braddock where the incident took place.
“There’s nothing more humiliating than being assaulted by another human being, particularly when there are young people cheering on,” said the judge as he adjourned the case to October 14 for the community service report.
He also pointed out that if Scott can go to the pub, he can pay compensation or go to prison.
A €200 fine was also imposed for drunkenness.
