Courts / Dublin / Report

Suspended sentence for man who took off his belt to assault another man in nightclub

Date
2015-07-02
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Malahide
County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Ronan Gormley, aged 30, received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to assault causing harm, producing an instrument and obstructing a peace officer at Wrights Café Bar in Swords on 11 November 2013. The incident involved Gormley taking off his belt and striking Mark Rogers, who was socialising in the smoking area. Rogers sustained a 1.5‑cm wound on his left eyebrow that required stitches. Security restrained Gormley until Gardaí arrived. Gormley was described as abusive and aggressive while intoxicated, but later calm. He has paid €2,000 in compensation to Rogers and has taken steps to address his alcohol use. Judge Mary Ellen Ring, after considering Gormley's guilty plea, compensation, lack of prior convictions and his adult responsibility, imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the entire term suspended, directing him to engage with probation services for eighteen months.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Suspended sentence for man who took off his belt to assault another man in nightclub. Charges or matters: assault causing harm, producing an instrument and obstructing a peace officer at Wrights Café Bar, Malahide Road, Swords on November 11, 2013. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Ronan Gormley

Defendant

Charges: assault causing harm, producing an instrument and obstructing a peace officer at Wrights Café Bar, Malahide Road, Swords on November 11, 2013 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Suspending all of a two and a half year sentence, Judge Mary Ellen Ring said that Gormley was an adult who drank to excess and was the author of his own actions.

Places mentioned

Incident
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Residence

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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