Man spat part of his brother’s ear into garda’s face, court told

A man who bit off part of his brother’s ear in a fight spat the piece of skin into the face of a member of An Garda Síochána.

Kieran O’Donovan was yesterday given two five-month suspended terms for assaults on two gardaí.

Inspector Michael McGuire said O’Donovan, aged 26, of St Anne’s, 27 Wilton Lawn, Wilton, Cork, was arrested at MacCurtain St, Cork, on April 25, 2013.

“He was shoving into Garda John Walsh’s face telling him to fuck off,” Insp McGuire told the court. “He was arrested and put into a patrol car but he kicked out a number of times trying to damage a window. Garda Jamie Riordan tried to prevent him from doing this and Mr O’Donovan kicked him across the legs a number of times.

“The defendant spat into Garda Walsh’s face, hitting him in the eye.

“It later transpired that Kieran O’Donovan had been fighting with his brother and had bitten off a piece of his brother’s ear and spat the piece of skin into Garda Walsh’s face.

“Garda Walsh attended at Cork University Hospital where he received treatment to wash out his eye.”

Defence solicitor, Michael Quinlan, said: “This started with a family row between himself and his brother.”

He said O’Donovan was high on a cocktail of drink and tablets. “He would not normally take on gardaí. He is in full-time education,” he said.

Mr Quinlan said the defendant has since been off drink and drugs. Judge Olann Kelleher said he was taking this into consideration.

The judge imposed the suspended sentences, and said O’Donovan could do 220 hours of community service instead of three months in jail on the count of engaging in threatening behaviour.