Sean Kenny pleads guilty to serious assault in Dublin

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

Sean Kenny pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Raphael Momoh. The proceedings were reported on 16 January 2016.

The assault happened on Parkgate Street on 29 January 2013. Kenny, 24, struck Momoh, 21, in the eye with a broken glass bottle, cutting his cornea and leaving him legally blind in his left eye. Momoh required a corneal transplant to restore his vision and was left with noticeable scarring on his upper and lower eyelid.

Kenny had 49 previous convictions, including criminal damage, violent behaviour in a garda station and dangerous driving. The report said he was serving a sentence for drug dealing and violent disorder.

On 15 January 2016, Lisa Dempsey BL, prosecuting, told Judge Patricia Ryan that the DPP had placed the assault in the “most serious” range. She said sentences in that range ran from seven-and-a-half to 12-and-a-half years. The maximum sentence for the offence is life imprisonment.

Paul Greene SC, defending, submitted that the range applied before mitigating factors were considered. He sought a significant suspended element or a sentence below that range. He also cited a degree of cooperation and admissions, Kenny’s guilty plea and his supportive family. Judge Ryan ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing until 16 March 2016.