A father of two has been sentenced to prison after breaking a woman’s jaw and then punching and kicking her friend when she tried to step in during the violent incident, reports The Mirror.
Car valet Hugh McDonagh, 25, from The Brosna, Friar’s Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, was handed a two-year and three-month sentence after admitting to assaulting both women in an alcohol-fueled incident on March 7, 2022.
At Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Keenan Johnson commended the victims for their generosity and forgiveness in reconciling with McDonagh, reports The Mirror.
He emphasised, however, that the court needed to express its strong disapproval of such violent acts.
A probation report was provided to the court, and the judge noted that McDonagh had been an enhanced prisoner during the nearly five months he had already spent in custody, reports The Mirror.
While handing down a three-year sentence, the judge suspended the last nine months under several conditions, on the basis that McDonagh does not commit any further offences for five years.
Judge Johnson referred to the evidence presented by Garda Sergeant Cliff Harding, which stated the incident occurred at a house in Mullingar while McDonagh was extremely drunk. He had also consumed other substances, likely illegal, reports The Mirror.
The court was told that McDonagh struck one woman, breaking her jaw; when the second woman attempted to help, he hit her in the face three times and then kicked her three times while she was on the ground.
The first victim spent three days in the hospital due to serious injuries, which also caused her to miss work.
The second woman experienced a traumatic injury and intense pain across the bridge of her nose, reports The Mirror.
The judge outlined the aggravating factors, including the severity of the injuries, the unprovoked nature of the attack, and said McDonagh was entirely out of control during the incident. He noted that McDonagh continued offending and had a separate assault case from January the previous year, which was seen as significantly aggravating.
He pointed out that the accused had issues with managing anger and a tendency toward violence, reports The Mirror.
On the other hand, the judge acknowledged McDonagh’s guilty plea, the apology he made to the victims, and the fact that he had repaired relations with them.
The court was told McDonagh had since found work and was dealing with grief after the sudden death of his father in September 2021.
Still, Judge Keenan concluded that this did not excuse his actions, reports The Mirror.
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