Man’s assault of wife’s new partner at GAA match was ‘beyond cowardly’, says judge

Court presenter Inspector Roisín O’Dea told the court that Barry Collins, 48, of Breaghna, Enniskeane, Co. Cork was pleading guilty to the assault of Matthew O’Donovan at St Oliver Plunketts GAA Club, Ahiohill, west Cork on the evening of June, 30, 2023.

Sergeant Kevin Heffernan said that Mr Collins punched Mr O’Donovan in the face with such force that the injured party suffered two black eyes and a broken nose.

The incident happened at about 8pm at an under 20s hurling game that Matthew O’Donovan was attending with his partner, Mr Collins’ wife. Mr Collins two sons were also present as well as numerous witnesses who were attending the match that evening.

The court heard that Mr O’Donovan was off work for two days as a result of the assault and was at a loss of approximately €600 as a result, he also had incurred medical expenses for pain relief. Mr O’Donovan also handed in a written victim impact statement to the court.

Defence solicitor Éamonn Flemming said that it was a most unfortunate situation that had arisen due to the fact that Mr Collins’ wife was now in a relationship with Mr O’Donovan.

He said that the indecent had resulted in difficulties between Mr Collins and his two sons, one of whom was still not talking to him. Mr Flemming said that tempers on the night in question were high and that Mr Collins also had drink taken.

He added that his client admitted he was at fault, had written a letter of apology to the injured party and had brought €1,500 to court in compensation.

Judge Marie Keane said that Mr Collins’ behaviour was “nothing short of outrageous” and the court could only form the view that it was a premeditated assault.

She said that the assault was “beyond cowardly” and that Mr Collins had “made an absolute show of himself in front of his own children, their mother and half the parish.”

She added that he had humiliated his sons by his actions and that the letter if apology was “minimal” and the compensation offered “derisory.”

The judge said: “By his victim impact statement Mr O’Donovan is not a whinger and he seems to just want to get on with his life.

“He had to suffer the indignity however of going through two airports when he went on his holidays looking like he’d gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.”

She told Mr Collins that he would need to apologise to the teams and management at the GAA club for his behaviour and bound him to keep the peace for 12 months on his own bond of €100. She also ordered him to pay Mr O’Donovan €3,000 in compensation.