Courts / Waterford / Report

DPP seeking sentence hike for bottle attack

Summary

Patrick Harty, aged 21, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm at a house party on New Year's Eve 2014 and to an unprovoked assault on a man in Waterford on 1 September 2015. He was sentenced on 28 October 2016 to four-and-a-half years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, and a concurrent 12‑month jail term for the second assault. No compensation order was made. The Director of Public Prosecutions, citing the attack's viciousness and the fact that Harty broke a bottle to use it as a weapon, seeks a review of the sentence on the grounds it was "unduly lenient." The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment and will deliver it on Monday. Counsel for Harty argues the sentence was lenient but not unduly so, noting his youth, remorse and difficult upbringing. The appeal will consider whether the judge's mitigation, suspension and concurrent sentencing were in error.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: DPP seeking sentence hike for bottle attack. Charges or matters: assault causing serious harm at a house party in the county on New Year's Eve, 2014; an unprovoked assault on a man in Waterford on September 1, 2015. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

• September 1, 2015 Incident
• October 28, 2016 Incident
• New Year's Eve Incident
• 2018-10-12 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report