Men given community service for assaulting a Dundalk pub owner
Three men have been sentenced over a brawl in The Tipsy Cow pub in Dundalk which began after the proprietor poured their drink away.
Three men have been sentenced at Dundalk Circuit Court over a brawl in a County Louth pub which began after the proprietor poured their drink away.
Gerard Agnew (53) of Belfry Drive, Dundalk, Sean McDonald (44) of Rathcor, Riverstown and Shane Malone (54) of Clontygora Court, Dundalk each pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at The Tipsy Cow, Church Street, Dundalk on December 16th 2019.
Charges of violent disorder were taken into consideration at the sentencing hearing.
Judge Dara Hayes, who said the CCTV footage of the incident was of good quality, noted the publican had decided not to entertain the men and took their drink off them and poured them down the sink.
Bar stools and glasses were broken in the row that followed.
Gerard Agnew was the first to go behind the bar and assault the man, with his two co-accused then joining in, in what the judge said was clearly a significant disturbance and the victim was "quite badly assaulted".
The publican did not seek medical attention or make a complaint to gardaí and chose not to make a victim impact statement.
Judge Dara Hayes said Mr Agnew appeared to have initiated the incident.
He had no previous convictions, had been socialising for Christmas since earlier in the day, but said he didn't know the victim was the proprietor and he regrets his actions.
He imposed a two and a half year sentence suspended in full on him completing 240 hours community service.
Judge Hayes said while Sean McDonald had 23 previous convictions - none were for violence and has displayed remorse.
He imposed a two year suspended sentence and directed that he completes 200 hours community service.
Shane Malone, a father of nine, had eight previous convictions, but had not come to garda attention in the interim, while the judge noted he was assessed as being extremely vulnerable with his history of alcoholism and mental health issues.
Judge Hayes imposed a sentence of 150 hours community service in lieu of a two year sentence.