‘Excessive self-defence’ sees sentence cut

A man jailed for serious assault having stomped on his victim’s head repeatedly has had his 15-year sentence reduced to eight by the Court of Appeal.

Michael Butler, aged 33, with an address at Churchfield Terrace East, Cork, had pleaded not guilty to assault causing serious harm to Billy Barry on Roman St, Cork City, on July 25, 2010.

He was found guilty by a jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on March 2, 2012.