No jail for steroid-fuelled man who spear-tackled wife

A man on steroids and alcohol who spear-tackled his wife head-first into the ground outside a nightclub was given an 18-month suspended jail term yesterday.

Daniel Spencer, aged 30, formerly of Tír Cluain, Cloyne, Co Cork, said through Donal McCarthy, defending, that he had been taking steroids for three weeks before the assault. They had altered his personality and combined with the alcohol on the night.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said his concern with this case had caused him to adjourn sentencing a number of times, but he was prepared to finalise it yesterday with a suspended jail term.