Former garda acquitted of beating British commando

A former garda has been acquitted of beating a British Armed Forces commando about the head and back with a wheel brace following a night out.

Dara Mac Giolla Rí had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Colm Croghan at his own home in Sarsfield Street in Dublin 7 on October 17, 2009.

Mac Giolla Rí was on trial along with his house-mate Kenneth Cooney, a captain in the Irish Defence Forces, who was also acquitted of assault by the jury yesterday.

It was claimed by the prosecution that Cooney had held Croghan down on a couch, while Mac Giolla Ri hit him on the back of a head with a wheel brace opening his skull.

Croghan has commando style training in the British Armed Forces, has served in the French Foreign Legion and has previous convictions including drink driving. He repeatedly denied he had gone berserk on the night.

The jury accepted the defence of the two men who said Croghan had started to strangle Capt Cooney in a row about how their different ranks had affected their friendship.

The jury heard he feared for his life and MacGiolla Rí had come to his rescue by striking Croghan six or seven times with a wheel brace.