Man partially paralysed in assault in the Midlands pays compensation 

A man who was partially paralysed in an assault has paid compensation of €5,000 to a man he had assaulted in 2022. 

James Rickard (23) with an address at Charlotte Rooms, Tullow Street, Carlow wasn’t in Portlaoise District Court when €4,000 was handed over to the victim of an assault at Main Street, Portlaoise on August 20, 2022.  The defendant was accused of assault causing harm at Main Street on the date in question. 

Brian Mallon BL said his client was undergoing rehabilitation in Peamount Hospital following a serious assault which left him “paralysed on one side”. He said the defendant had already handed over €1,000 to the victim of the 2022 assault. 

Judge Andrew Cody noted the victim had been “hit over the head with a pint glass” and that the case was listed for payment of €4,000, the remainder of the €5,000 compensation. He noted the defendant had entered a guilty plea and that the money had been handed over to the victim. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said a victim impact statement was handed into the court but the injured party did not want it read aloud. 

Once the €4,000 was handed over, Judge Cody convicted the accused of the assault and fined him €500.