Frenchman avoids jail after attacking ‘good Samaritan’

A man who punched and kicked a “good Samaritan” who was trying to help him has avoided a jail sentence.

Nicholas Freddin, aged 29, a Frenchman living in Dublin, was fighting on a city centre street after he was thrown out of a nightclub.

A passerby, Graham Hughes, came to help Freddin because Freddin and another man were rolling around on the street and he was worried they would be run over by passing traffic.

However, Freddin turned on Mr Hughes, punching him in the mouth and kicking him. He later told gardaí that he thought Mr Hughes was using a phone to record the fight and tried to grab the phone before attacking Mr Hughes.

Freddin, of Temple Place, Hill St, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Lesson St Lower on Nov 11, 2012.

Judge Martin Nolan said Freddin had carried out a serious attack on a man who was acting as a good Samaritan. He suspended a sentence of three years imprisonment on condition that Freddin pay €10,000 over to the victim within three years.

Garda Kevin Quirke told Fiona Murphy BL, prosecuting, that the victim’s injuries included a broken nose, a swollen jaw, and bloodied and swollen lips. He also suffered concussion. He has had to receive root canal work costing €6,000 and estimates that the future costs of dental treatment will come to €10,000.

Michael Bowman BL, defending, told the court that his client is in full-time employment and had brought a sum of €4,000 to court as a token of his remorse. He has no previous convictions and has not come to Garda attention since this incident.

He said Freddin was drunk on the night and is extremely remorseful. Since he came to Ireland he has used his experience in handball to help a club compete in national and European competitions.