A STUDENT who bit a man during an assault, leaving one finger so badly injured it required partial amputation, has received a two-year suspended sentence.
Brendan McCormack (20) was a Leaving Cert student and part-time sales assistant when he bit Frank Stacy’s hands during an unprovoked assault.
McCormack, of St Columba’s Road, Greenhills, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty on his second trial date to assaulting Mr Stacy (22) outside the Spawell nightclub, Templeogue, early on February 4th, 2006.
Paul McDermott SC, defending, submitted to Judge Katherine Delahunt that although his client had “behaved disgracefully” he had no previous convictions, hadn’t come to Garda attention since and was at low risk of reoffending. Det Gda Richard Hampson told Róisín Lacey, prosecuting, that he tried to break up the fracas and saw blood all over McCormack’s shirt, face and hands and blood pumping from Mr Stacy’s finger.
Det Gda Hampson said that before the incident, Mr Stacy had asked his assailant to apologise for hassling and groping a female friend outside the club.
McCormack apologised but pulled Mr Stacy out of a cab seconds later as he tried to leave.
The detective garda said Mr Stacy told gardaí he was halfway in the taxi when a gang of lads approached and pulled him out.
The judge suspended McCormack’s sentence on condition he attend alcohol and anger management counselling and pay a sum to his victim within a year.