A WICKLOW youth who blinded a nurse in one eye by throwing an egg at her from a passing car is to carry out 240 hours of community service in lieu of three years in jail.
David Morgan (18) was out “egging” with his friends when he hit the woman who was walking.
Sitting in November, Judge Katherine Delahunt had put the matter back to yesterday to see if there was sufficient work for Morgan to do in the community.
The judge directed that half of the €10,000 Morgan had gathered as a token of remorse go to the Society of St Vincent de Paul and the rest to the Peter McVerry Trust. The victim had previously rejected the money.
Morgan, The Green, Woodbrook Glen, Bray, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Ann Dooley on the Bray Road on March 26th, 2008.
Judge Delahunt told Morgan she had “no doubt” he had learned a lesson and that the incident would remain with him “for a very long time.” She called for schools to pay more attention to showing pupils the “ramification” of reckless behaviour.
The court was told Ms Dooley had suffered an extremely large wound and the lens of the eye had almost disappeared. She lost all sight in that eye and was told there was a chance the eye may have to be removed.