Cork men avoid jail over assaults after ‘all hell broke loose’
The scenario was described at Cork District Court yesterday in relation to an incident on Tuckey St in Cork.
Insp Fergal Foley said that all charges of producing weapons were withdrawn by the State.
Three young men pleaded guilty to various public order charges. The most serious charge to which all three admitted was one of assault.
Shane Healy, aged 29, of 61 Temple Acre Avenue, Gurranabraher, Cork, was given 120 hours community service in lieu of four months in prison for assaulting Darren O’Driscoll.
Darren O’Driscoll, aged 23, of Sliabh Barra, Boreen Dearg, Rathpeacon, Cork, was given a similar community service order for assaulting Daniel Spillane.
Daniel Spillane, aged 29, of 18 St Brigid’s Rd, Gurranabraher, Cork, who had previous convictions, was given 200 hours instead of four months for assaulting Daniel O’Driscoll.
Insp Foley said two of the men were out for the night with their partners and they went off briefly on a tuk-tuk tricycle spin, returning to Tuckey St at around 1am to find a black Audi had stopped.
Two men in that car had made efforts to engage in banter with the two women which resulted in a verbal argument.
The inspector said in relation to all three men in court yesterday: “They were all shouting and roaring and fighting. Numerous punches were thrown at each other.”
Emmet Boyle, solicitor for Spillane and Healy, said his clients were the ones who went off in the tuk-tuk and they got involved because they saw a nail bar, a hurley and golf club being pulled from the boot of the Audi.
“They were in the tuk-tuk, they come back and see all hell breaking loose with golf clubs, hurleys and nail bars in the mix.
“They had gone out for a night out, not expecting anything like this.
“They got a fright of their lives when they saw all hell breaking loose,” Mr Boyle said.
Diane Hallahan, solicitor for Darren O’Discoll, said: “There had been a tragedy in his family a short time prior to this.
“He was not out socialising or drinking, he was the driver of the car.
“Some girls came over and approached the car and there was banter in the window of the car.
“Some males came on the scene and unfortunately the assaults took place.
“He is extremely remorseful and regretful and wishes to apologise to the guards,” Ms Hallahan said.
She added: “The assaults should not have happened.”
