This article is from page 16 of the 2011-10-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
A 19-YEAR-OLD who launched a “completely unwarranted and uncalled for” attack on a man who he overheard talking about him has been warned that he may face three years in jail.
Karl Haugh, of Marian Estate, Carrigaholt Road, Kilkee, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Darren Clarke and also admitted assaulting Denis O’Connell, in Kilkee on August 7, 2010.
Detective Garda Oliver Downes told Ennis Circuit Court yesterday that the defendant was refused take away drink in a pub in Kilkee on the night in question.
“Denis O’Connell was working in the premises and Darren Clarke was a customer,” said the garda.
He said that Mr Clarke and Mr O’Connell left the premises in the early hours of the morning.
As Mr Clarke made his way home he was attacked as he approached the entrance to a housing estate.
“A blue car pulled up and the accused jumped out. The accused caught Mr Clarke and punched him to the back of the head and then punched him a few times to the head and chest,” said the garda.
The court heard that Mr Clarke fell to the ground and was punched again as he tried to get up. “The accused grabbed him in an arm lock. He was choking as a result,” said the garda.
“Denis O’Connell came to his assistance. He received two punches to the face,” he added. Mr Clarke sus- tained a number of injuries including a graze to the forehead, small cuts to the lips and a shoulder injury. He was out of work for a month, due to the attack. Mr O’Connell sustained a swollen jaw and black eye.
Gda Downes said that Haugh “is well known to us in Kilrush and Kilkee. He has 24 previous convictions”. Asked about the motive for the assaults, the garda told Judge Carroll Moran, “The accused alleges he overheard Darren Clarke call him a scumbag in the pub and that was the reason for him to go after him. This hasn’t been verified.”
Defence Counsel Pat Whyms, BL, said that Mr Clarke did concede that he was talking about the defendant, but hadn’t realised that he was listening to him. “There is a discrepancy in relation to what was said,” he said.
The court heard that Mr Clarke did not wish to give evidence to the court.
Mr Whyms told the court that his client was involved in a serious car accident eight years ago and has been on disability since the age of 18. He said that his client wished to publicly apologise for what Counsel described as a “completely unwarranted and uncalled for” incident. He said that his client took umbrage as a result of “this perceived slight and not at the refusal of the drink as such”.
Mr Whyms said that his client was on his way home from his night out at the time and was “not pursuing Mr Clarke”.
“However it was completely unjustifiable to assault Mr Clarke in the way he did. Thankfully Mr Clarke was not seriously injured,” said Mr Whyms.
He said that his client had brought € 1,870 to court and was prepared to raise further compensation to bring the total to € 5,000. He said that the accused is selling his car and is hopeful of raising € 2,000 from this, which will go towards the compensation. “I think that is a reasonable offer on the basis of injuries sustained by Mr Clarke,” he said.
Judge Moran said, “It seems to me he is facing the possibility of three years in prison. Let’s see if he can sell the car in three weeks.”
He adjourned the case until November. “I’m not making any promises at all. This is a serious gratuitous attack,” said the judge.