Man pays €2,000 to assault victim
Paudi Hayes from Midleton, Co Cork was given the jail term by Judge Patrick J Moran at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, suspended on condition that he would keep the peace for two years.
The judge previously warned him that such horrific behaviour would land him in prison and told him substantial compensation would have to be raised.
Hayes pleaded guilty to assaulting Christopher Henley, aged 56, on August 25, 2001. Mr Henley was walking through Cork city centre shortly after 10pm when he saw Hayes seeking a light for his cigarette and then verbally abusing a Pakistani man passing by on Bridge Street.
Mr Henley was then asked for a light by Hayes who was drunk.
“I thought that if I gave him a light, it would calm him down and he might leave me alone,” Mr Henley said.
But on hearing the English accent, Hayes immediately became aggressive.
“He verbally attacked me over my English accent and then I got involved in a scuffle with him to try and keep him away from me,” Mr Henley said.
As the victim started to walk away, Hayes attacked him with again.
He punched and beat Mr Henley unconscious.
Mr Henley’s main injuries were to his teeth and gums, the treatment of which cost over €1,800.
“But I am permanently disfigured because I have a big chunk missing from my gums. I will also probably have to lose my two front teeth,” Mr Henley said.
Hayes apologised again yesterday and said he had nothing to do with drugs, was working six days a week and only had a couple of pints now and again.
