Man jailed for four random assaults in Ennis in six minutes

A judge has told a court in Ennis it is fortunate that four unprovoked assaults by a 25-year old man in just six minutes did not end in any fatalities.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Brian O'Callaghan made his comment before sentencing Pavel Kratochvil, formerly of Ard Caoin, Gort Road, Ennis to three years in jail, with the final year suspended.

The random assaults occurred over a six minute spell around the O’Connell Street area in Ennis on April 1st, 2019.

Kratochvil pleaded guilty to assaulting causing harm to Gabriel Doyle (59) in Supermac’s in Ennis while Mr Doyle was eating his meal.

Garda Kevin Hooban said Kratochvil had inflicted a “bombardment” of punches on his victim.

Kratochvil then attacked Brian Meeney (53) near the Temple Gate Hotel, knocking him unconscious and kicking him on the ground, before assaulting a couple in their 70s as they got out of their car to attend a funeral.

After watching CCTV footage of the assaults on Mr Doyle and Mr Meeney, Judge O’Callaghan said: “We are all fortunate that there is not a fatality in at least two of these assaults.”

He said Kratochvil had engaged in “abominable conduct”.

The court heard Kratochvil, a Czech national, has 18 previous convictions but none were violence-related.

Judge O’Callaghan backdated the three year jail term with the final year suspended to April 2019, when Kratochvil was first brought into custody.