Six months for knocking man out with one punch

By Liam Heylin

A man who knocked another young man unconscious with a single punch while he was socialising in a Cork city centre pub was jailed yesterday for six months.

Kevin McGhee, of 29 Ballyhooley Road, Dillon’s Cross, Cork, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing harm at The Corner House on Coburg St, Cork, on July 22, 2017.

Sgt John Kelleher said: “The punch was of such force that it knocked him to the ground and caused him to lose consciousness.”

Solicitor Frank Buttimer said the parties had not known each other previously and struck up a conversation that night about a match that was played earlier. He said the defendant and victim were wearing jerseys from the opposing teams.

Sgt Kelleher noted from the defendant’s previous convictions that he had one for assault causing serious harm to another person.

Sgt Kelleher said that on the night of the incident, the 34-year-old clenched his fists aggressively when the guards arrived and he said, “Fucking arrest me so.”

Judge Olann Kelleher said: “This had a serious effect on the victim as per the victim impact statement. This was a man who was out minding his own business.”

Sgt Kelleher said the assault was carried out when the injured party went to the counter to order a drink. The defendant struck him in the jaw with a single punch.