Nurse seriously injured in row

A newly qualified psychiatric nurse was seriously injured by one blow struck in anger after a disagreement at a late night deli-counter queue and yesterday the culprit — who was never in trouble before — was jailed for three years.

At Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, the injured party, Cian McCarthy from Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, recalled the Oct 31, 2011, assault and said he was left wondering if he would ever fully recover.

Aidan Cullinane, aged 20, from 2 St Joseph’s Park, The Lough, Cork, said yesterday: “I would like to apologise, I never meant for it to happen.” His senior counsel, Tom Creed, said it was one blow struck in anger which had devastating consequences for Mr McCarthy, but also had a serious impact on the life of Cullinane.

Det Garda David O’Callaghan, who investigated the case, said the entire event was captured on garda CCTV cameras. He said Mr McCarthy and his girlfriend got into a verbal argument with others while queuing at the deli-counter. Shortly afterwards, on Grand Parade, Mr McCarthy tried to get away from the trouble and was pushed against a female not connected with the matter, causing her to fall over.

This was Cullinane’s girlfriend and he reacted by punching Mr McCarthy in the face, knocking him to the ground rendering him unconscious. He was transferred to hospital, where he was in an induced coma care for a week during a month in hospital.

Judge Patrick J Moran said to Cullinane, as he imposed five years, with the last two years suspended: “Your girlfriend was knocked down. As a result of that, you decided to punch the injured party in the face. It must have been a very, very severe punch. His medical report said he suffered a severe traumatic head injury and a skull fracture.”