Man left with metal plate in face after Kilkenny city assault
Two men have escaped being sent to jail despite being convicted of assaulting another man on a night out in Kilkenny, resulting in him needing a permanent metal plate in his jaw.
Dean O’Riordan, 2 Elm Place, Kilworth, Cork, and Ryan Coady, 14 Cluain Ard, Duntaheen Road, Fermoy, Cork, both pleaded guilty to charges of assault causing harm, at Kilkenny Circuit Court.
At the start of a sentencing hearing for the two men, Judge Sinéad McMullen said she had received a letter from the injured man saying there were ‘no hard feelings,’ which she described as “extremely magnanimous” of him.
The incident occurred on September 18, 2023, on John Street.
The injured man had been socialising at a pub. At 1am he came outside and a verbal argument ensued with Mr O’Riordan, who was outside a take away on the far side of the street.
Matters escalated. Mr O’Riordan punched the injured party, who fell to the ground. He continued to hit the other man.
Mr Coady came out of the chipper and in “some kind of misguided loyalty” to Mr O’Riordan joined in hitting the injured man, several times, while he was on the ground.
The injured man was treated at St James’s Hospital in Dublin for a fracture of the nasal bone and right orbital floor. He needed surgery to reconstruct the bone and now has a permanent metal plate in his face.
The man has made a good recovery and reported no ongoing pain.
The defendants and the injured man did not know each other before this night.
After the assault the two defendants did not leave the general area and Mr O’Riordan came back and sat beside the injured man, asking if he was ok and apologising.
Mr Coady also made a full admission to gardaí and apology.
Jude McMullen said the injured man was not seen striking anyone in the CCTV.
A garda on mobile patrol in the city on the night of the incident came across the injured party on the footpath, before an ambulance could be called.
The two defendants were still nearby and were arrested at the scene.
Judge McMullen noted that both men pleaded guilty at a very early stage, saving the injured party from having to give evidence in court.
All parties had consumed alcohol and even though there was CCTV of the incident, much of the evidence was confused, making the guilty pleas valuable.
Mr Coady had no previous convictions. Mr O’Riordan had 24 previous convictions, all from ‘around 2014’ the court heard.
The judge said that Mr O’Riordan had ‘turned his life around’ since then, with the support of his family.
He had shown remorse and offered €3,000 in compensation to the injured party.
A probation report was very positive, the judge added.
Mr Coady, the judge said, had made a “bad decision” on the night. He is remorseful, made full admissions and has family support.
Judge McMullen said it had been a difficult case to consider. She said it was “outrageous” that people would get drunk and be violent on the streets of any town or city.
In the circumstances and with trepidation, she said, she was imposing a sentence of three years imprisonment on Mr O’Riordan, to be suspended in full for three years.
She also told the defendant to liaise with the Probation Service and arrange to carry out 100 hours of voluntary work.
She said it was a “borderline” case and at 33 years old Mr O’Riordan “needs to know better.”
Mr Coady was handed down an 18 month prison sentence, to be suspended in full for three years on condition he enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.