Two Dundalk men who assaulted a man in a bar over the volume of a jukebox have received six-year sentences at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court. The court heard the injured man suffered brain damage and was in a wheelchair following the assault on October 5th, 1998.
Anthony Donegan, of Aisling Park, and Deaglan Lavery, of Slieve Foy Park, each pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Mr James Cassidy and Ms Fidelma Cassidy at Crowe Street, Dundalk.
Donegan also pleaded guilty to assaulting a relation of the injured man at the same time, for which he received a two-year concurrent term.
Det Sgt Con Nolan said the two people injured were in a pub on Crowe Street at around 6.15 p.m. There was an argument between them and the accused over the volume of the jukebox.
When Mr Cassidy went to the toilet shortly afterwards, the two defendants assaulted him.
"He was severely assaulted, he was punched and kicked and his head was stamped on as he lay on the ground. He lost consciousness," the detective said.
The man was in a coma for 12 days and then an in-patient at the National Rehabilitation Hospital for three months.
"He has suffered brain damage, his speech is still slurred and he has lost some power in his right arm," the detective added.
He was now wheelchair dependent and seven months after the incident had needed 24-hour care.
He agreed with Mr Kevin Segrave, defending, that Donegan was extremely remorseful, had no history of violence and accepted he had to expect a severe punishment. He agreed most of the violence was perpetrated by Lavery.
Passing sentence, Judge Raymond Groarke said the men had set upon Mr Cassidy "in an utterly vicious manner".
"They punched and kicked him and knocked him to the ground and then stamped on him on the ground . . . the violence was vicious in the extreme."
He said the injuries made harrowing reading and the victim had been sentenced to a life sentence. "The injuries have to be at the highest possible level this court has experienced without a weapon."
He sentenced each to six years. In the case of Lavery, he made it consecutive to a sentence he is already serving.