No jail for man who rained 20 punches down on injured party after kissing couple bumped into woman in Cork city bar

A kissing couple accidentally bumped into a woman at a nightclub during college rag week resulting in her boyfriend assaulting the man who had been kissing by punching him 20 times fracturing his left eye socket.

Garda Lorraine O’Donovan described the incident which played out at Rearden’s, Washington Street, Cork, on the night of February 13 2023. 

Judge Helen Boyle noted that the accused man Ivan Quirke acted in an out of character manner but she said he got involved in a situation in which he should never have become engaged.

She noted payment of €5,000 compensation and the fact that he had not been in any trouble before or since this occurred. She imposed a sentence of 16 months which was suspended.

21-year-old Ivan Quirke of Brook Cottage, Sraleigh, Waterfall, Cork, pleaded guilty previously to the charge of assault causing harm to another man at Rearden’s on February 13 2023.

Defence barrister Peter O’Flynn said the defendant wrote a letter of apology to the injured party and had virtually withdrawn from going out socially since he assaulted the other student in a serious over-reaction to a situation.

Judge Boyle agreed that the young man totally over-reacted by first pushing the other man, then pushing him head to head before “raining 20 punches down on him when he was helpless to defend himself… and he suffered a facture of his left eye socket.” 

Fortunately the injured party has made a good recovery. 

Judge Boyle said the remorse shown by the accused was genuine and said it was appropriate to fully suspend the sentence