Knuckle-duster attacker’s case against woman thrown out

A man who was previously convicted of using a knuckle-duster to harm a woman’s face claimed that months later she assaulted him by pushing him when he laughed at her.

Darren O’Shea, aged 18, of 71 Paircanoir, Rathcormac, Co Cork, complained yesterday that Tina Healy, 35, from Lackabeha East, Bartlemy, Fermoy, Co Cork, assaulted him in Dunnes Stores on Merchants Quay.

It emerged during the hearing at Cork District Court yesterday that O’Shea had been previously convicted of assault causing harm to Ms Healy by punching her in the face with a knuckle-duster, leaving her with a facial scar that required 10 stitches.

Judge Olann Kelleher dismissed the charge against Ms Healy yesterday.

Ms Healy testified at Cork District Court yesterday that she was walking through Dunnes on Dec 5 last when O’Shea and his mother walked towards her.

“He was laughing at what he did to my face, that I was the one with the scar and he was going to come after [another person in her family]. He was in my face. I pushed him away,” Ms Healy said.

She accepted that her hand made contact with his face as she had started to push him in the chest.

“He kept laughing at me and making threats, saying that I was the one with the scar on my face,” Ms Healy told her solicitor, Joseph Cuddigan.

When Mr Cuddigan cross-examined Darren O’Shea about the incident in Dunnes, he asked him if he had been laughing at Ms Healy.

“I didn’t say nothing to her, I just laughed at her. She came up screaming and roaring at me,” O’Shea said.