€30,000 ‘not enough’ for attack says judge
Judge Carroll Moran was told at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee that the family of stone mason James Leen, of Poulawaddra, Tralee, had paid €30,000 to the solicitors for the injured party, Douglas Williams, on Thursday.
However, the Judge remarked that the sum, while substantial, was not enough and he gave the accused until March to pay a further €20,000.
Mr Leen is to be given credit for any monies already paid over, in the event of further proceedings for compensation by Mr Williams, a 41-year-old farmer from Ballymacelligott, Co Kerry.
On Monday, Mr Leen pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Williams at Ashe Street, Tralee, causing him serious harm, in the early hours of September 15 last, and the case was put back to yesterday to enable him to come up with some compensation.
The court heard how he repeatedly kicked Mr Williams on the ground. Mr Williams sustained serious head injuries, was on life support and was, at one stage, given only a 50/50 chance of survival.
Prosecution counsel Michael Collins said Leen had mistakenly thought that Mr Williams had been involved in a row with his girlfriend earlier that night.
However, he continued kicking Mr Williams even after the girlfriend told him Mr Williams was not the man.
Well-known Kerry republican councillor Billy Leen is the father of the accused and he told the court that his son had spent €26,000 on drink and drugs in a nine-month period.
However, the accused was stated to be free of drugs and alcohol and was receiving ongoing counselling for his addiction. The accused expressed remorse for what he had done.
At the hearing on Monday, Judge Carroll Moran told the accused that he was lucky not be facing a manslaughter, or a murder charge.
The judge asked for a report from the court probation service for the March hearing on how he was dealing with his addiction problem.
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