A FORMER international boxer who was jailed for five years in 1994 for a head butt attack which led to the death of an acquaintance has had the balance of his sentence suspended by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge Cyril Kelly was told Karl Holmes had been a model prisoner who achieved certificates for courses he pursued in jail.
Holmes (25), of Homelawn Drive, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting his 20 year old neighbour, Mr Thomas Weekes, occasioning him grievous bodily harm on October 4th, 1992.
Mr Weekes died three days after the attack, which was described as "deplorable and outrageous" by Mr Justice Michael Moriarty in February 1994 when he imposed sentence.
He said Holmes had visited totally unnecessary violence on a much less physical person after what was a trifling verbal exchange.
Mr Justice Moriarty had ordered a review of the sentence in July 1996.
A public outburst in the court by members of both sides at the first hearing of the case in January 1994 led to a 10 minute adjournment.
At that hearing, Det Sgt Colm Featherstone agreed with Mr Gregory Murphy SC (with Mr Patrick Gageby SC), prosecuting, that Holmes was regarded as a trouble maker in his home area.
He was a much more dominant and physical man than his victim.