A surprise assault in Oranmore left the victim needing six stitches after getting punched in the head and kicked in the forecourt of a Centra.
Eoghan Nalty, with an address at Cuirt na hAbhainn in Claregalway, pleaded guilty to one count of Assault Causing Harm at Galway District Court this week.
The court heard that on December 1 of last year Mr Nalty had been drinking at an 18th birthday party in Oranmore, and some time later was at Texaco/Centra on Main Street queuing to get food.
There was a significant number of people in the queue, and some shoving ensued. When the victim went to leave, Nalty followed him into the forecourt and punched him in the side of the face, knocking him to the ground.
While on the ground Nalty kicked him twice, and Garda McWalter told the court that the victim briefly lost consciousness.
As a result of this incident Mr Fee was first taken to the A&E, and then got six stitches from his GP.
Solicitor for the accused Sean Acton said that his client was immediately distraught by his actions, and Garda McWalter agreed that he was “visibly upset” in cctv footage from the forecourt.
On December 18 the 19 year old man voluntarily came to the garda station to be interviewed, where he was fully cooperative and admitted his actions.
Mr Acton said that his client, who has no previous criminal convictions, wanted to publicly apologise for his actions, for which he is “deeply ashamed”.
The man who was assaulted said that he would know Mr Nalty to see him as they’re both from Claregalway, but that they’d never had any issues beforehand.
He had been out drinking with work colleagues and was at Centra that evening to get a bottle of water prior the assault.
When asked by Judge Mary Fahy how this incident had affected him he said that while he wasn’t great at the time, he’s since gotten over it.
He told the judge that wasn’t interested in compensation of any kind, and said that he just wanted this over with.
Judge Fahy fined Eoghan Nalty €750 for this assault and gave him six months to pay.
