Suspended sentence for Malahide assault

A young Dublin electrician who knocked out an acquaintance’s front tooth after a spat about his girlfriend has received an 18 month suspended sentence.

Brian Lawlor (aged 26) followed Mr Michael Maguire out of Gibneys Pub, Malahide, punched him once in the face and kicked him in the back after an altercation which was broken up by door staff seconds earlier.

Garda Geraldine Murray told Mr Cormac Quinn BL, prosecuting, that Mr Maguire had said “some insensitive” things about Lawlor’s girlfriend in her presence, had been warned against speaking out of turn but persisted and the resulting fight broke out.

Gda Murray said Mr Maguire needed a €1,700 tooth implant to fill the gap at his upper right incisor and lost €1,600 earnings while off work.

Lawlor, of Castle Lawns, Seabury, Malahide, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court a week before his trial to assault causing harm on July 21, 2007.

Gda Murray agreed with Mr Cathal McGreal BL, defending, that the injured party has acknowledged his client’s apology, despite its lateness, and has also accepted €2,000 raised in compensation.

She agreed that Lawlor hasn’t come to garda attention since and is at low risk of re-offending.

She further agreed that both parties had been drinking on the night.

Mr McGreal submitted to Judge Patricia Ryan that his client has attended for counselling, has done volunteer work, is remorseful and hasn’t abused alcohol.

Judge Ryan noted that Mr Maguire’s implant will need replacing every 15 years.

She also noted that Lawlor hasn’t come to garda attention since the incident.