Two Cork men face sentencing for 'outrageous' city centre assault

One of the victims sustained a fractured eye socket, fractured cheekbone and significant psychological impact.

Eric Dorgan was jailed for 18 months while Shane Galgey was released on bail to return to court for sentencing in February. File photo

Two men who served in the Defence Forces faced sentencing today for what the sentencing judge called an outrageous assault in Cork city centre.

One of them was sentenced to 18 months and the other was released from custody for sentencing in February after a report was submitted that said he had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from serving overseas with the Irish Navy.

One of the victims of the assault sustained a fractured eye socket, fractured cheekbone and significant psychological impact and the other man had a significant wound to his head.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said: “Both injured parties are bewildered – as I am myself – how such violence could be visited to innocent parties for no reason on the street.

“Aggravating factors are that they joined in on a number of occasions kicking and stamping (by Eric Dorgan) on one of the injured parties.” 

Eric Dorgan of 8 Fairfield Crescent, Farranree, Cork, and Shane Galgey of 30 St. Anthony’s Road, Gurranabraher, Cork, both of whom are 24, had been remanded in custody for almost a month until today and appeared by video link from prison.

The events of November 30, 2019

Detective Garda Brian Maher said the two friends were out socialising on the night of November 30, 2019, and ended up at Winthrop Street.

Galgey walked on to Winthrop Lane where three other men were chatting. He approached them and asked: “What are you saying about me?” Nobody in that group had interacted with him but as he asked the question he punched one man in the face. The injured party could not have defended himself as his hands were in his pockets, Det. Garda Maher said.

What followed was an assault on a second man and chasing the third man. Eric Dorgan later joined in. One of the injured parties was kicked in the head when he was on the ground.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to two charges of assault causing harm to the same two men on November 30, 2019, at Winthrop Street.

Defence barristers, Hannah Cahill and John Devlin, for Dorgan and Galgey, respectively, said each defendant brought €6,000 compensation to court and that this €12,000 was available for the injured parties.

Ms Cahill BL said Dorgan felt terrible about what he had done and was deeply remorseful and apologetic. Mr Devlin said Galgey accepted that he was the main aggressor but was fully cooperative and remorseful.

The evidence in mitigation was that neither defendant had a drink problem but had consumed a lot of alcohol on the night. Neither one of them had any criminal conviction and did not come to the attention of gardaí since this violent incident occurred.

Dorgan is a serving member of the Irish Army. Galgey previously served in the Navy.

The judge's ruling

While Galgey started the assaults and Dorgan later joined in, the judge said it was Dorgan who caused more damage.

Dorgan was jailed for 18 months backdated to when he went into custody a month ago.

Galgey was released on bail to return to court for sentencing on February 26, 2021. He is to continue in treatment for PTSD, abstain from intoxicants and keep a nightly curfew between 10pm and 6am.

This article was corrected on November 27, 2020 to state that Eric Dorgan served in the Army, and Shane Galgey in the Navy, and not the reverse as previously stated.