Offaly electrician sentenced to four years for pub assault

An Offaly electrician who seriously assaulted a man after being hit from behind in a Dublin pub toilet has been given a four-year sentence.

Offaly electrician sentenced to four years for pub assault

An Offaly electrician who seriously assaulted a man after being hit from behind in a Dublin pub toilet has been given a four-year sentence.

Shane Egan (aged 29), who has no previous convictions, paid €20,000 to the victim as a token of remorse for the assault which the court heard was “out of character”.

Egan, of Curraghvarna, Banagher, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Flannery's Pub, Lower Camden Street in the south city centre on October 31, 2004.

Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a four-year sentence with the final two years suspended.

"This was an aggravated assault fuelled by alcohol and a crime of violence and a prolonged attack," she said. "The injured party’s life has been changed since the attack. I will take note of Egan's good character, his early guilty plea and the fact he has no previous convictions."

Garda Shane Keogh agreed with defence counsel, Mr Paul Coffey SC, that Egan had been socialising in the pub with a group of friends. He agreed the victim of the assault became aggressive and started shouting at members of Egan’s group and he was invited to leave the premises by staff.

Garda Keogh agreed that there was an incident where Egan’s group began singing Offaly songs and were interrupted by the victim “bawling out The Fields of Athenry”.

He agreed that Egan alleged he was followed by the victim and struck from behind in the toilets.

Garda Keogh told Mr Patrick McGrath BL, prosecuting, that the altercation in the toilets continued outside. Egan kicked and punched the victim and at one stage appeared to try and strangle him with his shirt.

The victim lost consciousness and was taken to St James Hospital where he was kept for about a week. He was noted to be intoxicated and was treated for bruising to his eye balls, blurred vision and a fracture extending into his right eye socket.

Garda Keogh said the victim now suffers from memory problems, epileptic seizures and tinnitus but agreed with Mr Coffey that that medical reports stated that the victim’s injuries had to be looked at in light of his alcohol dependence and that he had memory loss before the assault.

Mr Coffey said Egan was one of 12 children from a decent law-abiding farming family in Offaly.

His uncle, retired garda Mr Aidan Egan, told Judge Ryan that the assault was “completely out of character” for his nephew. He said Shane was highly involved in sport in his community and had medals for hurling and football at county level.

Mr Egan said Shane had always worked and in turn employed people in his business as an electrician but he had been affected by the downturn in the economy. He said he was out of work for some time but during that period he had worked voluntarily in the community, assisting elderly people.

Mr Coffey submitted that Egan wished to convey his unqualified remorse and as a token of that, he tendered €20,000 which had been received by the victim.

He asked the court to take into account Egan’s early guilty plea and the fact that he had never intended to inflict serious injuries.

Mr Coffey asked Judge Ryan to given Egan a chance in order to do justice in the case.

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