Youth attacked with hurl after Facebook comments

A 16 year-old was left with a fractured knee after being beaten up by an acquaintance over comments made on Facebook.
Arminas Raulinaitis, now aged 18 but who was 17 at the time, with an address at 34, Elm Park, Claremorris, but now living in Mullingar, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The victim cannot be named because of his age.
The incident took place at Silverbridge Apartments, Claremorris on October 18, 2016.
The victim was left with a fractured right patella and soft-tissue injuries in his abdomen and his left arm. He also required four stitches to his head.  
Garda Karol Murray told the court that the incident could be traced to a Facebook spat in which the victim had made derogatory comments about Raulinaitis’s mother and brother.
Subsequently, Raulinaitis saw the victim in Claremorris, went home, picked up a hurl and met him at the Silverbridge Apartments where he beat him up.
In a victim-impact report, the victim said the attack had a ‘big impact on me physically and mentally’, saying he suffers from anxiety and can no longer play sport due to the fractured patella.
Defending counsel Niall Flynn said that Raulinaitis was sorry for what he did, that it was ‘a spur of the moment’ act and that he hoped the victim recovers fully.
The court heard that Raulinaitis is now living in Mullingar with his partner and their eight-month-old baby, and that he and the victim had known each other through mutual friends.
A probation report showed a ‘low risk’ of reoffending.
Mr Raulinaitis offered €400 compensation but the victim, who was present in court, said he had no interest in compensation.
Judge Rory McCabe said the attack was ‘deliberate, premeditated’ and contained the use of ‘a potentially deadly weapon’. He said the social media comments put a certain context on events, adding that ‘the interests of justice are not served by a custodial sentence’.
He sentenced Raulinaitis to 200 hours of community service in lieu of 12 months in prison. He also directed Raulinaitis have no contact with his victim.