Man gets three years for assault which left victim permanently scarred

A 21-year-old who assaulted another man on a night out leaving him with a permanent scar on his face has been given a three-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court with the final two years suspended.

Andrew O’Keeffe of Drumcliffe Road, Cabra pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Declan Hickey in Phibsborough on March 17, 2008.

Garda John Moran told Ms Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that Mr Hickey and two friends were socialising in Harcourt Street and made their way to a fast food outlet in Phibsborough.

O’Keeffe, who was on bail at the time for another assault charge, and several of his friends were in the fast food outlet and one of the group started to address Mr Hickey and his friends.

O’Keeffe accused Mr Hickey and his friends of being gardaí and a melee took place which resulted in Mr Hickey being hit a number of times on the head and face.

Judge Tony Hunt said that although O’Keeffe was “not the prime mover of the group, he became involved and threw at least one punch to the injured party.”

“People should be entitled to go on a night out and the accused is a menace to the vast majority of people who want to enjoy a night out,” said Judge Hunt.

“It seems to me that the accused falls into the category of slow learners and I can’t ignore that this offence was committed by someone who was on bail for a similar assault,” he remarked.

O’Keeffe, who has 38 previous convictions, said he had been drinking that night as he was “consoling himself after the death of a friend,” and although he had a lot of drink taken, he remembered being in a fight.