Drunken brawl was ‘bit of a storm in a teacup’

Five men involved in a storm in a teacup at the Fox and Hounds pub in Cork were told they were fortunate that the judge had adjourned penalty until yesterday rather than on the day the evidence was heard.

Judge Aingil Ní Chondúin said: “I had in mind finding them a lot more. I put it back so that I could calm down after all that rubbish I had to listen to.

“They had a choice of going this way or that way and they went for the fight… It was one big drunken brawl.”

Five men faced penalty yesterday on assault charges arising out of the incident.

Four of them faced penalty for assaulting Donagh O’Connell and one faced penalty on the more serious charge of assault causing harm to Mr O’Connell on the night of November 15, 2015, at The Fox and Hounds in Ballyvolane, Cork.

Diarmuid Kelleher, defence solicitor, represented all five and said: “First off I should say all of those gentlemen are working, they are responsible people, they have taken a lot of time off work [to deal with case], they have taken matters seriously.

“I cannot condone the event in any manner or form. From watching it on CCTV a lot of people were involved and no on one covered themselves in grace. A load of people were involved. These five men were unlucky that the injured party knew them.

“The common ingredient was that they had a lot of drink taken.

“It was a bit of a storm in a teacup.”

The solicitor said the injured party was punched but appeared to suffer his main injury falling to the floor.

Mr Kelleher said that all five men were anxious to avoid assault convictions.

The judge said that if the four men facing penalty for assault brought €400 to Cork District Court in January for Cuan Lee family refuge she would strike out their cases. Those four defendants — all aged around 30 — were: John Ross Nolan of 29 Glenheights Rd, Ballyvolane; David Goulding of 119 Thorndale estate, Dublin Hill; Raymond Burke of 67 Thorndale estate; and Shane Brady of 23 Glenthorn Park, Dublin Hill.

In respect of Jamie Murray of 4 South Avenue, Lios Rua, Banduff Road, Ballyvolane, Judge Ní Chondúin said that on his payment of €700 to the injured party his assault causing harm charge would be struck out.