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Suspended sentence for man who punched acquaintance leaving him with serious brain damage following row over €5
Summary
Colm MacDonald, 57, a retired painter and decorator from Killarney, was given a suspended three‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to assault causing harm. The offence occurred on Foley Street on 9 August 2013 when MacDonald punched Christopher Coakley, who suffered serious brain damage after being hit and falling onto a concrete footpath. Coakley spent six months in hospital and ten months in a rehabilitation centre, and continues to experience severe cognitive deficits, requiring ongoing care and relearning basic reading and writing skills. The court noted that Coakley's pre‑existing alcohol problem may have contributed to his injuries, and that MacDonald had no intention to seriously injure him but was extremely reckless. Judge Martin Nolan highlighted MacDonald's good character, work history and age, and the medical evidence as mitigating factors, leading to the suspended sentence. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Suspended sentence for man who punched acquaintance leaving him with serious brain damage following row over €5. Charges or matters: assault causing harm on Foley Street on August 9, 2013. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- August 9, 2013 Incident
- 2015-03-26 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: assault causing harm on Foley Street on August 9, 2013 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Suspending a three year prison sentence, he said that MacDonald was a good man with a good work history.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Foley Street
- Amiens Street
Topics
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