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Transgender woman jailed for bar fight assault
Summary
Shauna Kavanagh, aged 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of assault causing harm and two counts of assault on James Street, Dublin, on 9 December 2017. The assaults involved punching Thomas Coogan, a family friend, to the face when he tried to break up a fight outside the Malt House Bar, causing Coogan a fractured skull and brain bleeding. Coogan later died of cancer. Kavanagh also punched bar man Ian Byrne and threw a bottle at event manager Denis Heatly during a karaoke session. She was found to have a history of two minor convictions for public order and failing to produce a specimen. Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Kavanagh to two years' imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months, and directed that she serve the term in a women's prison, noting her psychological vulnerability and the fact that she had been living as a woman in London prior to the incident.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Transgender woman jailed for bar fight assault. Charges or matters: one count of assault causing harm and two counts of assault on James Street, Dublin on December 9, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 9, 2017 Incident
- 2021-03-01 Publication
Why: Judge Sheahan said today that a custodial sentence was warranted in the case because of the "determination to continue with violence" demonstrated by Kavanagh when she returned to the bar "to engage in a third assault". CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: one count of assault causing harm and two counts of assault on James Street, Dublin on December 9, 2017 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Credit: Collins) By Isabel Hayes and Sonya McLean A transgender woman who assaulted a family friend who was trying to break up a fight outside a bar has been jailed for a year. Judge Sheahan sentenced Kavanagh to two years in prison but suspended the final 12 months having accepted Kavanagh's remorse and shame and lack of previous convictions for violence offences.
Places mentioned
- Priory Hall Whitehall Road
- Dublin
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- James Street
- Dublin
- Irish prison
- Malt House
- James Street
Topics
Public Order Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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