'I still don’t fully recognise myself': Man was hit 250 times during assault in Cork city
Sentencing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court was adjourned until May 2.
A young man was kicked more than 50 times in the face as well as being punched more than 50 times in the face and body by a student who used the victim’s phone to record some of the attack.
“The total number of blows, strikes, stamps or kicks totalled 250,” Emmet Boyle, prosecuting, said of a 20-minute period of CCTV of the incident.
During a 77-second video recording made by the assailant, a man on the ground with a bloody face is heard groaning and a voice is heard saying, “Look at you — you’re an embarrassment.”
The assailant also removed the injured party’s trousers and shoes during the violent incident which was captured on several different CCTV cameras in Cork city.
This evidence was given at the sentencing of 22-year-old Darragh McLoughlin, of 23 Richmond Hill, Cork, who admitted assault causing serious harm to a man at Paul St, Cork, on October 18, 2022, as well as robbing his iPhone 7.
At Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday, Detective Garda Joe Crowley said the incident commenced outside the Secret Garden nightclub at 1.15am on October 18, 2022, when the accused attempted to strike the injured party in the face and an altercation occurred.
The injured party and his friend left the area and they were followed by the defendant and an unidentified man. The detective said the defendant believed the other man had stolen his phone.
There was a further incident at the corner of Grand Parade and Oliver Plunkett St and the injured part is seen on CCTV running away.
The injured party was seen running to Paul St with Darragh McLoughlin close behind and the two parties wrestled each other to the ground where the defendant got on top and proceeded to assault the injured party who was at that stage unable to stand or defend himself, the detective testified.
“Daragh McLoughlin is repeatedly kicking and punching the injured party to the body and face before he is seen taking a phone from the injured party’s pocket and he proceeds to continue assaulting him while recording it on the phone. He attempts to pull off the injured party’s jacket and he also pulls the injured party’s trousers down to his knees.
“A number of people passing plead with Darragh McLoughlin to stop assaulting him. However, he ignores the pleas and continues kicking and hitting his head and body.
“Darragh McLoughlin leaves the area but returns soon after and again attempts to assault the injured party who is lying on the floor on Paul Street. It lasts almost 20 minutes. He does not stop assaulting him until the gardaí arrive at the scene.
“Darragh McLoughlin kicks and stamps on his head over 50 times and also punches him to the head and body over 50 times.
“Initially, he was not sure why he was arrested. He believed his phone was stolen and that he should not have been arrested. When he was shown the CCTV it dawned on him the severity of what happened the night before,” Detective Garda Crowley said.
The young man who was seriously assaulted had multiple fractures to his eye socket and nasal bones and was left with double vision.
In his victim impact statement, read by the detective, he said it was undoubtedly the worst day of his life and he was still trying to fill in the gaps in his memory of what happened. He still has nightmares and flashbacks.
He found it extremely frightening to see the condition of his face in hospital — “I still don’t fully recognise myself.”
He said that it affected him mentally and physically from waking up each morning until he goes to sleep at night and that it would affect him every day of his life. He said it had also deeply affected his family.
Tom Creed, defending, said there had been some history between the parties and that the defendant said the injured party and others had previously ‘jumped’ him a year before and stamped on his head. Det Garda Crowley said there was no report made to gardaí of such an incident.
Mr Creed said the conversation between the parties outside the nightclub related to this alleged assault on the defendant a year earlier.
He said the accused had been on anti-depressant medication that night following a suicide attempt the previous night and that, unfortunately, he combined alcohol with medication.
The senior counsel said there were extensive character references which painted a different picture of the defendant, including one which stated that the defendant was consumed by guilt and was deeply remorseful.
Mr Creed said mitigating factors included the signed plea of guilty, the defendant’s mental health difficulties, lack of previous convictions, attempts at rehabilitation, his expressions of remorse, character references, his age, the payment of €10,000 compensation, and the fact that he has not come to adverse garda attention since this.
Sentencing was adjourned by Judge Jonathan Dunphy until May 2.
