Judge says publicity of case enough punishment for teacher

A judge yesterday endeavoured to lessen the social effects of the publicity generated by an assault case in which a male teacher grabbed a female principal by the hair and threw her to the ground.

Judge Seamus Hughes applied the Probation Act to Micheál Pleamoinn, aged 41, of Barley Fields, Bealnamullia, Athlone.

After the case had been widely reported a week earlier, the judge said yesterday: “This man is much more likely to suffer greater consequences than I can give him with a criminal sanction.”