Mayor’s son guilty of assault

A son of the mayor of Galway will be sentenced in June for the violent sexual assault of a nurse in a laneway.

Brian Maher, aged 24, of Clostoken, Loughrea, Co Galway, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault and assault causing harm on Oct 16, 2010. Maher is a son of the Galway mayor, Cllr Michael Maher (FG).

The Central Criminal Court heard the 38-year-old victim was making her way home from a night out with friends in Galway City when Maher grabbed her by the neck, pulled her into an alleyway and hit her head off a wall and off the ground.

Witnesses described seeing a woman on the ground struggling and screaming as a man crouched over her, punching her in the face and head.

The victim suffered a broken nose, a fractured cheekbone, vaginal bruising, multiple abrasions and lacerations. Her tooth was knocked out and she briefly lost consciousness.

Maher claims he penetrated the woman with at least one of his fingers, and that he ran off when he heard a Garda car approaching.

Garda David Clarke described seeing a woman bleeding heavily from the head, with her jeans and underwear torn and pulled down her legs.

Maher was chased by Garda Gerard Morrissey, who said he was “extremely aggressive and pumped with adrenalin”. The garda eventually pepper-sprayed him.

Maher had consumed alcohol and cocaine, and said the combination of drink and drugs made him “crazy” and that there was “something wrong with him”.

Maher has been registered a sex offender and remanded in custody until sentencing on Jun 18.