'I was certain I would die': Corkman severely beaten by gang of five

Injuries forced victim to cancel his entry to an Ironman challenge in Cork

Brian Desmond of 27 Innismore Grove, Ballincollig, County Cork, was sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

 A young Ballincollig man hoping to an Ironman challenge last year was jumped by five youths and severely beaten as he made his way home.

“After this traumatic incident I no longer feel safe in my hometown,” the victim said.

Now the man described as the lead attacker — 23-year-old Brian Desmond of 27 Innismore Grove, Ballincollig, County Cork — has had three years added to time he was already serving in prison for other assaults.

The injured party, Seamus Monahan, 28, has given a victim impact statement at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Before he left the witness box, Nikki O’Sullivan barrister said on behalf of Brian Desmond that he wished to express his sincere apologies to the injured party.

Mr Monahan turned to the accused man in the dock and said to him: “I don’t hate you, man, I hope you have learned from it. I wish you the best.”

 Detective Garda Alan Johnson testified that Mr Monahan got off a late bus from Cork city to Ballincollig on November 19, 2022, when he was approached by five youths who got off the bus at the same time. They chased and attacked him.

Mr Monahan said: “The second I got off the bus I had a gang of five surround me trying to provoke me into a fight. I followed the correct procedure, attempted to de-escalate the situation. Then when that did not work I kept walking, ignoring their taunts, until the leader went to punch me.

“I went into survival mode and without thinking I was immediately sprinting as fast as I could, knowing I could not fight five people at once.”

 As he got away from them he realised he was leading them to his family home and decided to run in a different direction to avoid this. But in that moment he tripped and his face hit the ground.

“Dazed, I tried to get up but was immediately set upon by the gang, and punched, kicked, and had my head smashed off the concrete until I passed out. I was in and out of consciousness throughout the attack. I called for help multiple times but no one came.

“Eventually, one of the group could see I was in a bad way, and he convinced the lead attacker to get off me. If this hadn’t happened, I firmly believe he would have killed me that night. And, due to sheer luck, the head injuries I sustained were not fatal and have not left me with permanent damage.

“I sustained serious physical injuries — a broken nose, jaw, and a head injury which developed into vertigo and lasted for months and months.

“It took almost seven months for (Desmond) to be arrested and during those months I was constantly on edge, knowing that he lived locally.”

 Due to the extent of his physical injuries, he had to cancel his entry for Ironman in Cork in August 2023.

“What has annoyed me most is that I did everything correctly that night, followed the correct procedure in trying to de-escalate and then running and trying to avoid a physical interaction, kept my family safe, but I still ended up getting beaten so badly I was certain I would die. The unprovoked aggression and anger shown by the lead defendant to someone he did not know is something I will never forget,” the injured party said.

Brian Desmond pleaded guilty to charges including assault causing harm. He also admitted robbing a person on the street and attempting to rob another person in Cork city on May 18, 2023, in a case investigated by Detective Garda Brian Barron.

Ms O’Sullivan BL said the accused had done several programmes in Portlaoise prison including an alternatives to violence programme.

Judge Colin Daly imposed a total sentence of five years and four months with the last two years and four months suspended. This three-year sentence is consecutive to a sentence of two years and nine months he was already serving for other assaults.