Suspended sentence for Kildare man after hotel assault
The Lord Bagenal Hotel in Leighlinbridge
A Co Kildare man and two others who carried out an assault during a family celebration in the Lord Bagenal Hotel in Carlow were sentenced at a recent court sitting after they pleaded guilty to charges of serious assault and violent disorder.
Dwane Burke, 20 Cluain An Mhuilinn, Burrin Road, Carlow and his two uncles, brothers Adrian O’Neill, The Maltings, Athgarvan, Newbridge and Kevin O’Neill, Skehanagh, Ballinhassig, Co Cork, all pleaded guilty at a February court sitting of assaulting one man, causing him harm and of engaging in violent disorder on 6 January last year.
Judge Geraldine Carthy had adjourned sentencing the men at Carlow District Court so they could gather compensation for the victim while she also wanted to view CCTV footage of the incident that occurred in the bar of the Lord Bagenal Hotel.
Two weeks ago, she sentenced all three defendants to eight months’ imprisonment, but suspended the whole sentence for Adrian O’Neill on the assault causing harm charge while taking the violent disorder charge into consideration for the three defendants. She also read a victim impact statement and heard that the three men had gathered €6,000 in compensation for the injured party.
At the original court sitting in February, Judge Carthy heard that the three defendants were attending their grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary in a private function room in the hotel when a complaint was made about noise levels from other patrons.
The party was later moved to the main public bar, where words were exchanged with other patrons in the bar.
Judge Carthy heard that 47-year-old Adrian O’Neill had initiated the assault by approaching the victim aggressively and then punching him twice and that CCTV footage showed Kevin O’Neill (30) grabbing the victim by the throat and putting him in a headlock. The court heard that 28-year-old Mr Burke was seen striking the victim on the head with a glass, which shattered on impact. The victim sustained injuries including a laceration above his right eye and swelling to his forehead, requiring hospital treatment.
Mr Burke, who had no previous convictions, is a father of two and is a business development manager whose work often takes him abroad in such countries as Dubai, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Kevin O’Neill, who has five previous convictions, has serious health issues while Adrian O’Neill, who had no previous convictions, is an electrician.
All three are appealing their sentences.
