TWO MEN were given suspended sentences yesterday after admitting they beat up a 71-year-old man on Halloween night in 2008.
English pensioner Michael Leech, from Athea, Co Limerick, suffered black eyes, broken teeth and a broken nose in the attack, which has left him unable to sleep properly.
Mark Murphy (21), of Lisselton, Co Kerry, and Charlie Murphy (22), of Hillside Drive, Athea, Co Limerick, who are not related, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr Leech. A third man, Nigel Brouder (21), of Coole West, Athea, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour.
Limerick Circuit Court heard Mr Leech took his now deceased wife, Kit, to the local bingo hall in Athea at 7.30pm. As he waited to collect her at about 10pm, a large crowd of youths started letting off fireworks from a hillside above his car. When one of the fireworks hit his vehicle he became afraid his car would catch fire and got out of it. When he grabbed hold of one of the youths he received several punches to his face, one of which knocked a tooth from his mouth.
A victim impact statement read to the court on behalf of Mr Leech stated: “I had to have laser surgery on my eyes and an anaesthetic injected into my right eye . . . I have not had a full night’s sleep since but I don’t know why . . . My wife became unwell not long after and died from a heart defect. I believe the shock of what had happened to me added to this.”
The court heard there were about 60 youths in the area on the night letting off fireworks and throwing Halloween bangers at cars.
Garda Gerard Griffin agreed the three men were “unlikely to get into trouble again”.
In handing down sentence, Judge Carroll Moran said: “Michael Leech was badly beaten by a group of youths including Charlie Murphy and Mark Murphy. Garda Griffin and his team are to be commended, particularly in the circumstances they found themselves in. They faced a stone wall from many present on the night in question and who refused to give gardaí any help.”
He imposed a two-year suspended sentence on Charlie Murphy and Mark Murphy. He applied the Probation Act to Brouder.
Speaking outside the court, Mr Leech said: “I didn’t want them to go away [to jail]. Maybe they’ll learn something by it.”