BY RONAN JUDGE

A 62-year-old man who assaulted a fellow pub customer and called him a “Mayo f**k” has told a court it was not the best moment in his life.

At Galway District Court, Frank Hughes, with an address at 2 Sandyview Drive, Riverside, pleaded guilty to assaulting Peter Rolland at Barr an Chaladh, Woodquay.

The offence is contrary to section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against The Person Act.

The Court heard the assault occurred on the night of December 4, 2023, when Hughes grabbed fellow patron Peter Rolland by the neck and called him a “Mayo f**k”.

Asked about the impact the assault had on him, Mr Rolland said he was 70 and had recently had a stroke when the incident occurred.

“My biggest fear was that I was going to have another stroke, due to the stress” he added.

He told the Court he had had spent 30 years coaching kids in the area and 30 years socialising in the area, and he could not do that anymore because of the assault.

He said he got panic attacks anytime he was in large group of people and had not been in the pub since the incident.

“I don’t even walk down Shop Street”, he added.

Judge Fiona Lydon asked Mr Rolland if he would be willing to participate in a restorative justice programme overseen by the Probation services.

“I haven’t spoken to a Mr Hughes in 20 years and I have no wish to speak to him again”, he replied.

Judge Lydon explained the Probation services would be able to structure a contract between both men and Mr Hughes would have to promise “to do or not do certain things”.

The Judge said the purpose would be to allow Mr Rolland walk the streets and enjoy his life again.

Mr Rolland said, “I have spent two years with this around my head. I have no interest in spending the next two years with the Probation services or anything.”

Judge Lydon adjourned the case for a brief period to again allow Mr Rolland to consider the offer but when the case resumed, the Court was told his position was the same.

Mr Hughes said, “I’d like to apologise to Mr Rolland and the Court as well. It was not the best moment of my life”.

Defence solicitor Brian Gilmartin told the court that both men were patrons of the bar for a number of years and there was a “lead-up to the incident” on the night.

He said his client initially followed Mr Rolland to talk to him but momentarily lost control and the incident was over in the “blink of an eye”, when a security person intervened.

Mr Hughes, who has no previous convictions, deeply regretted acting in the way he did, the Court was told.

Mr Gilmartin said other patrons of the bar were in Court to support his client.

“He does apologise for his behaviour and it is just an unfortunate incident,” he added.

Judge Lydon said there was no excuse for behaviour like this and “we don’t take the law into our hands no matter what the issue is”.

Judge Lydon imposed a €500 fine and directed the accused to pay €1000 compensation, for the injured party to get help for the “considerable psychological sequela” caused by the incident.

Judge Lydon said that if the victim did not want to accept compensation, the money could be donated to charity.

She adjourned the case to October 9.

Funded by The Courts Reporting Scheme.

Pictured: Judge Fiona Lydon: “We don’t take the law into our hands no matter what the issue is.”