Man jailed over ‘violent and unprovoked’ attack on fellow pub customer

A Dublin man has been given an 18-month sentence over a “violent and unprovoked” attack on a fellow pub customer.

Laurence Grocott (38) is currently serving a nine year sentence for drug offences and for firing a machine gun into the front window of a family home with two little girls inside in March 2019. He was jailed over that incident in November of last year.

In the assault case, Grocott pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of assault causing harm to a man at the Capel Bar in Dublin city centre on October 12th, 2018.

CCTV footage played in court showed Grocott, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, approaching the victim and his friend before punching the man several times in the head and face.

The victim has a scar on his jaw as a result of the attack, described by Judge Melanie Greally as “violent and unprovoked”.

Sentencing him to 18 months in prison, Judge Greally said the sentence would run concurrently with Grocott’s current prison term, meaning he will not spend longer in prison. She noted that Grocott is making progress in custody and is clean from all drugs.

Early house

The victim and his friend were drinking in the early house on the morning in question when Grocott and his friends asked them if they wanted to buy drugs, Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting, told the court.

The pair declined and moved to another seat before Grocott approached them and, without warning, started punching the victim.

In the footage played in court, the victim could be seen holding up his hands in self-defence and repeatedly trying to get away from Grocott, who followed him out the door and punched him again on the street.

The victim was taken by ambulance to hospital and Grocott was identified by gardaí­ from the CCTV footage, the court heard.

Sarah-Jane O’Callaghan BL, defending, said Grocott was high on cocaine and had been drinking alcohol before the attack. She said Grocott is a grandfather to several children and had worked several jobs over the years including in a bouncing castle rental business.

Judge Greally noted that the victim had been “as inoffensive as they come” when Grocott attacked him.