A CASE against a Beara man charged with assault has been adjourned for review.
At Bantry District Court, solicitor Flor Murphy said his client Stephen O’Shea of Coulagh, Eyeries, Beara, was willing to admit his involvement in an incident at The Square on June 5th 2022 but the solicitor said he ‘was not the main protagonist’.
Sgt Trish O’Sullivan, for the prosecution, said gardaí were called to an incident outside a chip shop at 2.10am and the injured party, Stephen Price, alleged that the accused, and another person, had assaulted him.
The sergeant said the investigating officers viewed CCTV footage and identified Stephen O’Shea as one of the people involved.
When interviewed, Sgt O’Sullivan said the accused claimed his actions were ‘in self-defence’. In mitigation for the 21-year-old apprentice carpenter, Mr Murphy said it was his first time before the court.
‘This was a scuffle outside a chipper in Castletownbere,’ he added. ‘He was not the main protagonist.’
Mr Murphy handed into court a cheque for €1,000 that his client had saved to compensate the injured party, as well as a letter of apology.
Mr Murphy pointed out that Stephen Price, who sustained two black eyes and a swollen cheek during the incident, had not done anyone any harm that night but things kicked off after ‘insults were thrown’.
He said his own client was willing to admit that his behaviour was out of order on the night.
Judge James McNulty adjourned the case to the April 11th sitting of Bantry District Court and deferred the imposition of penalty.
‘Come back in the spring and we will see,’ said the judge.
