Michael Waters given suspended sentence for Dublin creche assault

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Michael Waters was given a three-year suspended sentence by Judge Patricia Ryan for assaulting a creche director and causing her harm. The judge ordered that he have no contact with the injured woman, her creche or any other establishment she operated for 15 years.

The Belfast barrister was found guilty following a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The offence occurred at the woman's Dublin creche on 4 January 2012. He had denied the offence. The proceedings were reported on 11 October 2013.

The director told the court that Michael Waters pushed her and later headbutted her in the face. The jury was shown photographs of her injuries, including a fractured nasal bone requiring surgery and bruising to her eyes and arms.

The court heard that Michael Waters had a muscle-wasting condition which left him unsteady on his feet, and that a staff member had previously seen him falling over. He claimed the director pulled him from behind, causing him to lose his balance and fall on top of her. He also alleged that the director and deputy manager pulled him to the ground and injured his knee.

Defence counsel Marie Torrens BL said he accepted the jury's verdict and had expressed remorse for the injuries he inflicted. He had no previous convictions.

Prosecuting counsel Colm O'Briain BL provided a victim impact report in which the woman said she continued to suffer stress, anxiety and distress because of the assault.

This case may have concluded differently. The outcome has not yet been confirmed by a public source we could find.