A judge postponed sentencing a man for an unprovoked attack on a dog-walker and his pet in Dublin while a psychiatric report is compiled.
Aidan Mulkearn, 49, with an address at South Circular Road, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and assault causing harm in connection with the incident on Winetavern Street, in the city centre's south side on the morning of September 13th last year.
Garda Sergeant Niall Murphy had told Dublin District Court it happened when the injured party, a 41-year-old man, was walking his dog.
Mulkearn passed them and kicked the dog, but the pet owner challenged him.
Mulkearn "struck the injured party in the face", leaving him with a bleeding lip, the court heard. The dog owner did not require medical attention.
Judge Treasa Kelly accepted jurisdiction for the case to be kept in district court and not sent forward to the circuit court, which can impose lengthier sentences.
She noted that the accused has also entered guilty pleas to other assault charges.
Psychiatric report
Defence solicitor Paddy McGarry asked the court on Thursday to grant an adjournment. Forensic psychological services have sanctioned a psychiatric report on Mulkearn, but it is not ready, he explained.
Judge Kelly adjourned sentencing until January.
Mulkearn, who did not address the court, was remanded on continuing bail.
The defence had said earlier that he faced prosecutions for incidents over a short period last year in the Dublin 8 area.
He also pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to two men at South Circular Road on September 14th and on August 21st at Harrington Street.
Guilty pleas were also entered to two other attacks on two other men, on September 8th and August 24th, less serious assaults that did not result in physical injuries.
Both of them also occurred at Harrington Street.
He was pleading guilty to all matters and has not come to garda attention over recent months, the defence had said. The court has also asked for a probation report on Mulkearn.
