Judge needs to see medical report on alleged assault case
A JUDGE has said he will need to see a medical report on the injuries suffered by a man in an alleged bar assault before he can decide which court the case will be heard in.
Judge David McHugh said without a report he could not accept or refuse jurisdiction to deal with the charge against Darren King, who is accused of punching and injuring a man in a pub in Lucan.
Blanchardstown District Court
He adjourned the case at Blanchardstown District Court.
Mr King, aged 34, with an address at Colepark Road, Ballyfermot is charged with assault causing harm to a man at the Penny Hill Pub, Ballyowen Lane, Lucan on July 7, 2019.
Sergeant Maria Callaghan told Judge McHugh the DPP had directed summary disposal of the case in the district court on a guilty plea only, subject to jurisdiction being considered.
Outlining the allegations, she said the alleged victim had been socialising in the pub at 1.55am.
He was on a corner of the dancefloor when he was allegedly approached by the accused who struck him “one single punch to the face”, which caused the man to fall back to the ground, hitting his head on the side of the bar.
This caused a large laceration to the top of the man’s head and he fell to the ground, where he lay unconscious, Sgt Callaghan said.
An ambulance was called and the alleged injured party was taken to Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown where he received five stitches to his head and was treated for concussion.
Judge McHugh said he needed to know the “sequelae” before considering the matter further.
“It’s in the balance,” he said.
Sgt Callaghan said it could be a month before an up to date medical report was available.
If jurisdiction is accepted and the accused pleads guilty, the case can be dealt with at district court level.
Otherwise, it will be sent forward for trial to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge McHugh remanded the accused on continuing bail, to appear in court again on January 14, 2021.
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