Man knocked over an innocent bystander during a row outside Dundalk courthouse
Jonathan Judge (23) with an address at Irish Street, Ardee pleaded guilty to assault causing harm arising out of the incident on May 17th 2023.
Man who knocked over an innocent bystander after a row broke out outside Dundalk courthouse, saw his father 'murder' a family pet when he was a young child, the local district court heard last week.
Jonathan Judge (23) with an address at Irish Street, Ardee pleaded guilty to assault causing harm arising out of the incident on May 17th 2023.
Judge Derek Cooney was told that a court guard had seen the defendant begin to argue with another man on Market Square and he was heard saying "I'll get you, you rat b*****d. F**k you" before he knocked over a woman "who wasn't involved". She sustained a leg and knee injury.
In a separate case, the court heard gardaí who were viewing the town cameras in Drogheda on October 23rd last year, saw two men make their way from one pub to another when the defendant attacked a man who was smoking outside one of the premises.
He kicked him and then punched him in the face. He was charged with public order offences arising out of that incident.
Court Presenter Sgt Richie Browne said Mr Judge had nine previous convictions and there is a matter before the CIrcuit Court that has still to be finalised, where he is awaiting a sentence.
The court heard that he was sentenced to six months in the CCJ in January for having drugs for sale or supply in September 2025.
The Defence counsel said his client's parents had split when he was an early age and he had a harrowing chiwldhood. The barrister claimed Mr Judge's father had "murdered his childhood dog in front of his eyes".
He added the defendant had fallen into criminality and was involved in a feud at a young age and at the time of the offence he was completely off his head on drugs.
However, the court heard he has been engaging with a key worker in The Red Door project in Drogheda and the council expressed his concern that Mr Judge was "at serious risk of being institutionalised" as he had spent four or five years of the last seven in custody.
He urged the court to give him an opportunity to get out and put his life on the straight and narrow and his client was adamant that he wanted to get the sentence out of the way and not wait on a psychiatric report which was being prepared for the Circuit Court matter.
The barrister said he believed that sentencing would not be finalised until January and he argued his client is "someone who never really got the bounce of the ball in his life" and asked the court to be as lenient as possible.
Judge Cooney said this appears to be an innocent woman, an innocent bystander who was knocked over, who had to have an operation and his initial instinct was to ask why is this here and not in the Circuit Court.
However, he had heard the DPP had directed summary disposal if a guilty plea was entered.
Judge Cooney noted the woman is awaiting an operation on her knee as a result of this and she has suffered a loss of confidence and couldn't do anything with her grandchildren as she was bedridden for three months as a result of the incident.
While he said "I accept it wasn't intentional" he imposed an eight month sentence and fixed recognizance for an appeal on his own bond of €500 with no cash lodgement.