Kilkenny man’s head stamped on in ‘unprovoked,’ ‘vicious’ assault, court hears

A five month prison sentence has been handed down to a man convicted of assault causing harm, by Kilkenny District Court.

Paul Delaney, of no fixed abode, Kilkenny, pleaded guilty to the charge.
Garda James McNamara gave evidence that on April 3, 2022, he was on duty in the public office of Kilkenny Garda Station when a man and women came in. They were very distressed and said they had been assaulted by Mr Delaney.

The man gave a statement saying he was punched in the head and kicked a number of times into the body and the head while he was on the ground. It caused considerable pain.
The garda saw that the man was bruised and had a cut lip.

Garda McNamara later viewed CCTV from Priory Square, Dean Street, where the assault occurred, and said it was an ‘unprovoked’ assault and ‘vicious in manner’.
Mr Delaney was seen on CCTV stamping on the other man’s head, the garda said.
Mr Delaney was interviewed a number of times by gardaí but made no comment.

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The garda said Mr Delaney had approached the injured party outside court but the man didn’t want anything to do with him.
Mr Delaney had 55 previous convictions, the court was told.

Solicitor Ed Hughes said he had reviewed the CCTV footage with his client and Mr Delaney accepted it was him.
This occurred about a year ago, Mr Hughes said, when his client was in the throes of a bad addiction, and he was homeless. He had been friendly with the injured party.

Mr Hughes said he was told that the injured party was supplying ‘certain substances’ to Mr Delaney and on this day something else was put in tin foil, bought and paid for by Mr Delaney. He took it and was sick. It was because of this the incident occurred.

The solicitor said Mr Delaney is a different person now. He is no longer in addiction and living with his girlfriend.
He hasn’t come to garda attention for a significant time.
Mr Hughes said his client’s apology to the injured party was rejected but he offered an apology to the court.

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Judge Geraldine Carthy said the facts were quite stark and it was at the upper end of assault causing harm to come before the district court.
She said she was satisfied a custodial sentence was merited.
Mr Delaney was sentenced to five months imprisonment.
Recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal.