This article is from page 13 of the 2009-11-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
A SHANNON man who was con- cerned about teenagers gathering outside his house slapped a 14-year- old boy in the face, fracturing his nose, a court has heard.
Father-of-two Mark Murphy (39), of Cul na Gréine, Shannon, admitted assaulting a 14-year-old boy causing him harm, on March 21 last.
Inspector Tom Kennedy told Shan- non District Court that the boy was outside the accused’s home. “Mr Murphy got annoyed with the boy and hit him into the face and frac- tured his nose,” he said.
Defending solicitor John Callinan said there was a “somewhat longer story”’.
He said his client, who has never come to Garda attention before, has had difficulties with regard to teenag- ers gathering near his house. He said he has complained to gardai about damage to his car. “Things were so bad that two-and-a-half years ago he installed CCTV,” he said.
He told the court that his client had never seen the 14-year-old boy be- fore that day. He said his client had a few drinks while watching a rugby
match and youths had gathered out- side his house.
‘He had no idea that the boy was only 14. He was taller than Mr Mur- phy,” he said.
The accused is very remorseful and was in a position to offer compensa- tion to the victim, said Mr Callinan.
Judge Angela Ni Chonduin ordered that €500 compensation be paid and
this was done in court. “You don’t take the law into your own hands. Young people hang around. I do ap- preciate this man got a bad fright. He paid for it,’ she said and dismissed the charge under the probation of of- oe(oucm lee