A teenager who violently assaulted and inflicted severe dental damage on another individual has been ordered to pay €1,000 in compensation by a judge in the Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
In June, 2016, an incident took place at Charleville Show when one young teenager headbutted another to the left side of his jaw and walked away. He, (the defendant) then approached the victim again and struck him with a closed fist on the same side of his face. As a result of this double attack, the victim suffered a serious injury to his jaw. After seeking medical treatment for the wound, it was revealed that he had to have two plates and splints inserted into his jaw. He also lost some of his teeth due to the attack.
The attacker, who is not named due to being under the age of 18, was apprehended, and brought to court last week. Despite admitting to the assault, no offer of compensation was made by the youth at the court. The judge presiding over the case, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin, advised the accused youth that he would want to “wakey wakey” in terms of compensation.
The judge believed that it was unreasonable for the accused to appear before Cork Circuit Criminal Court with no compensation offer prepared. Therefore, the session was adjourned, and the court offered a warning to the youth that the next time he return to court, it had better be with an offer of compensation.
The youth returned to court yesterday. The Legal Counsel for the defendant, Dermot Sheehan, stated that there was €1,000 offered by way of personal injury compensation to the victim. Subsequently the judge adjourned sentencing until November 20. The accused teenager was remanded on bail.
Mr Sheehan advised the Court that said the accused, suffers from health issues, and offered this by ways of an explanation for his behaviour. Having read the report produced by the defendant’s counsel, Judge Ó Donnabháin commented that: “He has not got health issues, he has behavioural issues.”
