Nenagh man involved in an unprovoked assault is given a suspended sentence

Nenagh Court was told that aTipperary motorist who turned back at a Garda checkpoint had no insurance

placeholder image — Nenagh Court was told that aTipperary motorist who turned back at a Garda checkpoint had no insurance

A Nenagh man who was involved in an assault on a visitor to the town has been given a suspended prison sentence by Nenagh District Court.

Sgt Michael Keating told the court that on August 15, 2019, the gardaí were called to a disturbance at Pearse Street in the town.

Two men who had come to work in the town had gone for a meal in a local bar / restaurant and when they left the premises and were crossing the road at Pearse Street / Kickham Street one of them was struck in the face.

Oisin Nevin, 21, of 32 Cormack Drive, Nenagh, pleaded to assault on the man.

The court heard that the second man tackled Mr Nevin and he was pinned tot he ground until the gardaí arrived.

While this was happening a another man came from behind and hit the second man on the head with a bottle. That defendant had been dealt with in the Circuit Court and had received a suspended sentence, the court was told.

The court was told Mr Nevin had 22 previous convictions, but none for assault.

Sgt Keating told Judge Elizabeth MacGrath that the victim had just gone out for food when he was attacked.

Mr Nevin’s solicitor, David Peters, said that there was CCTV footage of the incident but his client had only got to see it that morning.

“Up to that point he had a completely different view. He thought there had been an exchange of words and then an exchange of blows,” said Mr Peters.

He said that Mr Nevin accepted the victim’s word that he must have hit him.

Mr Peters said that Mr Nevin, who had been a juvenile at the time, had had a difficult childhood. He was making “great strides” in dealing with issues, including addiction and was now in fulltime employment.

Mr Peters said that his client had asked him to apologise to the victim. However, Judge MacGrath ordered Mr Nevin to make a public apology in open court, which he did.

This was not accepted by the victim.

“When people come to this town they are entitled to move around without being assaulted,” said Judge MacGrath.

She imposed a four-month sentence on Mr Nevin, suspended for one year in his own bond of €500.

Recognizance were fixed in Mr Nevin’s own bond of €250.