Father punched man who fell and cut his head on bar

A FATHER-of-five punched a man in a row at a west Dublin pub, causing him to cut his head on the bar as he fell to the ground.

Darren King had been drinking since lunchtime after his child’s christening when he “misread” a situation and assaulted the other man, a court heard.

Judge Gerard Jones told him to pay €2,000 in compensation to the victim and adjourned the case.

King, aged 34, with an address at Colepark Road, Ballyfermot pleaded guilty at Blanchardstown District Court to assault causing harm to a man at the Penny Hill Pub, Ballyowen Lane, Lucan on July 7, 2019.

Sergeant Maria Callaghan said the victim had been socialising in the pub at 1.55am. He was on a corner of the dancefloor when he was approached by the accused who struck him “one single punch to the face”.

The resulting impact caused the man to fall back to the ground, grazing his head on the side of the bar.

This resulted in a large laceration to the top of the man’s head and he fell to the ground, where he lay unconscious for a few seconds, Sgt Callaghan said.

An ambulance was called and the injured party was taken to Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown where he received seven stitches to his head and was treated for concussion.

He also suffered a bruised lip but had fully recovered.

The DPP consented to the case being dealt with in the district court and Judge Jones accepted jurisdiction after hearing a summary of the facts.

King had prior convictions and was now serving a sentence for robbery.

The accused and victim did not know each other but “words were said between them” over the course of the evening, King’s barrister Ciaran MacLoughlin said.

One of King’s children was christened that day and the accused had been drinking since lunchtime. He misread a situation, got into a row and thought the victim was going to hit him. King “got his retaliation in first,” Mr MacLoughlin said.

The accused previously had issues with drink and drugs.

Judge Jones said he would deal with the case on payment of €2,000 to charity, but said he was “facing a sentence in any event”.

The judge said what happened was horrific, but luckily the injured party made a full recovery.

He adjourned the case to September 23.