Offaly farmer punched man in the head in night club in the county

An Offaly farmer pleaded guilty to assaulting a man in a Birr night club during last week's sitting of Tullamore District Court.

Kieran Bracken,  Fox Covert, Money, Kilcormac was charged with commiting  a Section 3 assault on August 7, 2023 in  Melba's Nite Club, Emmet Square, Birr.

Sergeant Justine Reilly told the court that during an altercation in the club between Mr Bracken and the injured party, Mr Bracken punched the other causing bruising to the left ear, swelling of the cheek and a scrape on the right ear.

The defending barrister said his client had €1,500 in compensation for the assaulted man.

“Before this incident,” commented the barrister, “there had been a previous incident earlier in the evening between the two parties.”

He said the tension between the two men had been present for some time before August 7.

He added that Mr Bracken has a partner and they are expecting their first child in September. He works as a tillage farmer.
Kieran Bracken apologised publicly in the courtroom to the injured party, who was also present in the courtroom, for the incident.

Judge Deirdre Gearty said she did not consider the €1,500 to be compensation.

“I don't think such payments should be called compensation,” she remarked. “I call them goodwill payments.”

Addressing the injured party she said he may do what he wishes with this goodwill payment.

She issued the Probation Act to the defendant.

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