Man who left victim requiring six stitches in ‘random’ pub attack told to have €5,000 in compensation or face jail

A man in his 20s who admitted leaving another man requiring six stitches to his face following a random and violent late night pub attack has been told to have €5,000 in compensation or face an immediate custodial sentence.

Peter O’Regan (26) of The Lodge, Castlegarden, Cappaghmore, Limerick, was given the uncompromising warning by Judge Vincent Deane at Mullingar District Court last week.

Mr O’Regan was charged with, and previously pleaded guilty to, assaulting his victim at Daly’s Bar, Oliver Plunkett Street, Mullingar, Westmeath on April 20, 2024.

Presiding Judge Bernadette Owens had directed a probation report to include a restorative justice element ahead of sentencing.

That order also contained a direction for Probation Services to explore compensation and the possibility of the accused carrying out voluntary community work.

Mr O’Regan, however, was told the €1,000 he came to court with “wouldn’t come anywhere” meriting an application made by defence counsel Andrea Callan, BL, to preserve his previous untarnished criminal record.

Judge Deane said his view on the case differed greatly from what the defence, saying the court was also mindful of a “very understanding injured party” who had declined to prepare a victim impact statement.

Mr O’Regan’s victim, the court heard previously, was attacked while in conversation with a friend at around 11pm.

Though the two men had not previously encountered one another, the court heard that the young man was suddenly punched in the face by the accused, and he required six stitches to his lower lip.

In reading from Mr O’Regan’s probation report, Judge Deane said it was apparent the accused carried out the assault on a person unknown to him by striking him a “number of times to the head and face”.

In defence, Ms Callan said the incident was “completely out of character” for a man who had never darkened a courthouse door previously.

“He has taken full responsibility for his actions and demonstrated remorse and isn’t a gentleman it (the court) is likely to see before it again,” she said.

Ms Callan accepted a charge of assault causing harm was an extremely serious one, but asked the court to exact as much leniency as possible given the way Mr O’Regan had engaged fully with probation and restorative justice.

Judge Deane questioned that outlook by asking Ms Callan: “I thought you would be asking me not to put him in jail.”

He said the findings outlined in the probation report underlined Mr O’Regan’s engagement and previous good character, but that did not override the seriousness of the incident.

“If I was going to make the order you are seeking me to make, €1,000 wouldn’t come anywhere near it,” he told Ms Callan.

Judge Deane said there were two options open to the accused: to come back to court with a further €4,000 in compensation, or he could “deal with it” by passing sentence without delay.

Ms Callan, following a brief consultation with her client, decided to take up the offer for more time to gather compensation and Mr O’Regan was remanded on bail to Mullingar District Court on July 23.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme