A 27-year-old Dublin man was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for a vicious attack which left a father of three brain-damaged, incapacitated and in need of full-time care.
At the Central Criminal Court evidence was heard that after a row Darren O'Brien, of Tallaght, knelt on the injured man's back and, holding his hair, repeatedly banged his head against the ground.
O'Brien was originally charged with the attempted murder of Mr Billy Connors (33), also of Tallaght, on October 9th, 2000, but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault causing serious bodily harm. The State accepted this plea and a nolle prosequi was entered on the original charge.
Sgt Martin Smyth told the court that the two men had been drinking together in a pub in the Tallaght area earlier in the day. O'Brien told gardaí that out of the blue Mr Connors threw a punch at him and a fight developed in the pub before the bouncers broke it up.
Shortly after this, Darren O'Brien called to Mr Connor's home and forced his way in, where he confronted Mr Connors. A number of neighbours gave evidence of seeing the two men in front of the house arguing and then walking away from each other, before O'Brien turned back.
"Something happened in the course of which he viciously attacked Mr Connors," Sgt Smyth said. O'Brien left the scene and was arrested later that day at his home, where he admitted his involvement in the attack.
Mr Justice White suspended the final two years of the sentence.