Man (44) pleads guilty to assault on retired judge in his 80s

Gordon Deegan

A Co Clare man who punched a retired judge outside an Ennis cafe after telling him “you put me in jail for nothing” has pleaded guilty to the assault.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Jamie O’Connor pleaded guilty to the assault causing harm of retired district court judge, Joseph Mangan, at Barrack Court in Ennis on Saturday, June 14th, contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

Mr O’Connor, 44, of Laurel Lodge, Clare Rd, Ennis, has been in custody since June 18th after Judge Alec Gabbett refused an application in the district court for bail and bail was subsequently refused in the High Court.

After Mr O'Connor entered his guilty plea in the circuit court, Judge Francis Comerford directed a victim impact statement in the case and further remanded Mr O’Connor in custody until November 14th to fix a date for sentence.

The DPP directed that the case against Mr O’Connor be heard in the circuit court, where much tougher penalties apply on conviction compared to the district court, after the Government in 2023 doubled the maximum penalty for ‘assault causing harm’ under Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 from five to 10 years imprisonment.

Mr O’Connor is represented in the case by Pat Whyms BL, instructed by solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick.

Mr Mangan, now in his early 80s, served as a judge for 27 years and was the assigned district court judge for Clare from 2001 to October 2011, when he retired at the age of 67.

At a contested bail hearing on June 18th concerning the assault, Judge Gabbett said: “This is an extremely serious alleged offence where a retired district court judge now into his 80s was allegedly assaulted for carrying out a public duty when he was a judge.”

Sgt John Burke gave an outline of the State evidence against Mr O'Connor at the bail hearing and said that at 2.25pm on June 14th, Mr Mangan was sitting outside the Gourmet Store on Barrack Court in Ennis having a coffee.

Sgt Burke said that Mr O’Connor approached Mr Mangan “and told him aggressively ‘you put me in jail for nothing’."

Sgt Burke said: “Following a brief interaction, it is alleged that Mr O’Connor stood up and punched Mr Mangan.”

Sgt Burke said that Mr O’Connor then fled the scene in the direction of O’Connell Street.

He said that Mr Mangan went to the local injuries unit in Ennis, where he was treated for possible concussion and dizziness.

Sgt Burke said that Mr Mangan made a statement to local gardaí.

Sgt Burke said that Mr O’Connor was later arrested, where he made no admissions “and blamed alcohol for his memory loss”.