Pair ‘within an ace’ of jail

A judge has warned “two young bucks” that they came “within an ace” of being sent to jail for an unprovoked and vicious attack on a man in Kildare three years ago.

Judge Patrick McCartan imposed an 18-month suspended sentence on Robert Rice, aged 20, of Riverforest Estate, Leixlip, and Ciaran Ahern, of Rye River Mall, Dun Carraig, Leixlip, aged 21.

The judge told them they had been “reckless in the extreme” in contesting the case despite evidence of Karl O’Grady’s facial injuries.

They were convicted by majority verdict after a five-day retrial in January.

They had both pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Mr O’Grady at Riverforest Estate in the early hours of December 11, 2010.