A MEATH man who punched a door man in the jaw outside a Kinsale bar after being refused entry had to be pepper sprayed and handcuffed while on the ground, a court heard last week.
Graham Moran (36) of 269 Beechdale, Dunboyne, Co Meath pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to assault, obstruction of a peace officer and two public order offences on Market Street, Kinsale on May 3rd of this year.
Sgt Eimear O’Connell told the court that at 9pm on the night in question doormen at Dalton’s Bar refused him entry into the bar.
‘Mr Moran then threw a punch at one of the doormen and his colleagues came to his assistance. Gardaí were also close by and came on the scene. He actively resisted arrest and was taken to the ground and pepper sprayed,’ said Sgt O’Connell.
‘He shouted ‘f** off ye pigs I’ll kill ye all. He was eventually handcuffed and arrested and taken to Bandon Garda Station.’
The court heard that the accused has no previous convictions, while the doorman did not require hospitalisation following the punch to his jaw.
Defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client, who is from Meath and is a self-employed carpenter, had been in Kinsale with his friends during the weekend of the Kinsale 7s rugby tournament but got separated from them.
‘He suffers from significant mental health issues and is taking medication for it but he mixed it with alcohol that night which he isn’t supposed to do,’ said Mr Taaffe.
‘His recollection on gaining sobriety is totally at odd with the facts given. He suffers psychosis and has pleaded guilty immediately to the charges.’
Mr Taaffe added that his client wishes to apologise to both the security staff at Dalton’s Bar and the gardaí and has family support including that of his wife.
‘His reaction was inappropriate and he hasn’t drank since the incident. He also attends his doctor regularly due to his mental health condition,
Judge Joanne Carroll described it as ‘a brawl on the streets of Kinsale’ where the accused punched a man in the jaw.
She said she needed a positive character reference from his doctor and also directed the preparation of a probation report.
‘I need to be satisfied that there won’t be a recurrence of what happened. And if he’s being advised not to drink while on medication then he shouldn’t,’ said Judge Carroll, who adjourned the case to December 4th.
‘I want the letter from his doctor to indicate how long he has been a patient of his and if his situation is well regulated. I also want to know if this is his first incident of violence. This was a serious incident in Kinsale.’
