A pair of Montrose players who carried out an “appalling assault” during a night out in Dublin will be sentenced early next year.
Cousins Liam Callaghan and Craig Johnston, both 27 and from Kelty, pled guilty to assault causing harm and obstruction in Dublin City Centre on December 8 2019.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the defendants, who are semi-professional players with Montrose FC, attacked their victim following an altercation at a nightclub.
Judge Orla Crowe said the victim was “blameless”.
The defendants each offered €2,000 as a gesture of remorse, which the victim was willing to accept.
However, adjourning the sentencing to January 20 2023, Judge Crowe said this was not sufficient to show the “level of sincerity warranted”.
Swung traffic cone and hit with box
Garda Emmet Hayde gave evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that on the night in question, the victim and his partner stopped at Xico on Baggot Street at around 1am for a drink before heading home after an evening out.
While at the bar, the victim was involved in an altercation with a colleague of Callaghan and Johnston and was asked to leave.
The couple were walking to get a taxi at around 2am when the victim heard shouts behind him.
He turned around and was punched in the jaw by a man, who from CCTV footage appeared to be Callaghan.
A passer-by attempted to intervene to stop the assault.
Johnston then arrived and along with Callaghan, tried to get at the victim.
The passer-by tried to get him away but the pair, both from Fife, followed and continued their attack.
One of them picked up a traffic cone and swung it at the victim.
A Garda public order unit was in the area and observed the assault.
They also saw one of the defendants hit the victim with a box, which caused his head to bounce off the ground.
The defendants attempted to flee but were apprehended by Gardaí.
Injured ankle and fractured eye socket
The victim was taken to hospital, where he was treated for injuries to his face, lower leg and ankle.
He required three surgeries to his ankle.
His left eye socket was also fractured but he sustained no serious injury to his eye.
Prosecuting counsel read a victim impact statement to the court.
He said his “Christmas was ruined” by the attack, which has also caused bouts of depression and anxiety in crowds.
He said he had missed opportunities to work abroad and suffered an economic loss of more than €6,000.
Pair express remorse
Callaghan’s defence counsel Karl Monahan read a letter to the court from the defendants’ colleague, who gave their account of the altercation at the bar.
He said the incident at Xico had been on Callaghan’s mind, though his reaction was disproportionate.
Judge Crowe said Callaghan’s reaction was “completely disproportionate” as he had followed the victim onto a public street.
Callaghan took the stand and apologised directly to the victim on his and Johnston’s behalf for what happened.
The defence counsel said Callaghan and Johnston are both remorseful for their actions, which were out of character.
Character references from the defendants’ employers and Montrose FC were handed to the court.
Both have recently signed contract extensions with the Angus club.
The defendants had also lost a close friend in tragic circumstances in the months preceding this incident, the court was told.
Judge Crowe adjourned the case to next year and said the court would like to see a “more concrete expression of remorse” from the defendants.
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