Courts / Dublin / Report
Jail for man who carried out two serious unprovoked assaults, including one on his friend
Summary
Michael Noonan, a 34‑year‑old stonemason, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for two unprovoked serious assaults. The first, on 5 May 2014 at Club 92 in Leopardstown, involved Thomas Kelly who was knocked to the ground, left with multiple skull fractures and haemorrhaging, and spent five days in hospital. The second, on 7 September 2014 at The Magic Carpet Bar in Cabinteely, saw Noonan punch a glass into Gary Rigley's face and then beat Rigley's brother Shaun. CCTV footage showed Noonan and Rigley speaking before the attack. Noonan pleaded guilty to both assaults at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and admitted the acts were not pre‑meditated. He had ten prior convictions, mainly for public order offences, and a suspended sentence in 2005 for an earlier assault. Judge Martin Nolan described the blows as extremely forceful and noted Noonan's history of loss of control, concluding the assaults were totally unforgivable.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jail for man who carried out two serious unprovoked assaults, including one on his friend. Charges or matters: assaulting Mr Kelly causing him harm at Club 92, Leopardstown on May 5, 2014. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- May 5, 2014 Incident
- September 7, 2014 Incident
- February 2005 Incident
- 2015-07-01 Publication
Why: He suffered from "awful headaches" for two weeks and couldn't eat because he was too sick. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: assaulting Mr Kelly causing him harm at Club 92, Leopardstown on May 5, 2014 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: His friend had ended up on a life support for six weeks following an assault and Noonan had provided huge support to both his friend and that man's family. "He is a very strong man who was at the time prone to loosing control," Judge Nolan said before he added there was "long history of lapses of control causing him to behave aggressively and in a hostile way". "One assault to some degree is forgivable whereas two assaults with his history is totally unforgivable," Judge Nolan said before he jailed Noonan for three and half years.
Places mentioned
- Rochestown Avenue
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Noonan arrived at the garda station
Topics
Public Order Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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