Westport street brawl leaves tourist in hospital

A late-night brawl between two groups of men on Bridge Street, Westport, left one man in hospital with facial injuries, a Circuit Court sitting in Castlebar last week heard.
Twenty-six-year-old Richard Ryan of 122 Manor Village, Castlebar, pleaded guilty to charges of assault and violent disorder after CCTV footage examined by gardaí showed him landing one punch on Matthew Murphy (22), of Geashill, Co Offaly, circa 3.15am on the morning of June 6, 2017. His co-accused is due before the courts on February 7 next.
Garda John Boyle told Judge Rory McCabe that after receiving a phone call to say that there was an altercation between two groups of men – which involved beer barrels being thrown around – he went to the scene and found Mr Murphy lying on the ground. He appeared to be unconscious and had a sizeable wound around his left eye. The injured party was taken to Mayo University Hospital by ambulance, the garda said.
Garda Boyle took statements from a large number of witnesses, some of whom explained that Mr Murphy was part of a group from the Tullamore area who had come to socialise in Westport for a work night out.
When Mr Ryan was arrested on August 30 he made ‘significant admissions’ after viewing the CCTV footage.  
Reading Mr Murphy’s victim impact statement, Garda Boyle said that members of the group were waiting on a taxi when the ‘unprovoked attack’ occurred.
“As I was struck a numerous blows, I fell back and hit my head … I came in and out of consciousness and saw my friends there … My next memory was waking in A&E and [being] unable to see through my left eye,” the statement continued.

Badly broken nose
Mr Murphy confirmed in the statement that his nose was badly broken, that he had severe concussion and that doctors said he was lucky to survive the assault. He said he was very stressed in the aftermath and was off work, without pay, for two weeks. He is no longer comfortable socialising in unfamiliar places or waiting at taxi ranks.
Barrister for the accused, Patrick Murphy, said his client conveyed his apologies and stressed the fact that the CCTV footage clearly showed him inflicting only one blow, after which the victim did not fall to the ground.
“He expressed remorse and made a full admission after seeing the CCTV footage,” Mr Murphy said. “It is fair to say that there were other people involved who are not before the court.”
He told the court that his client was a married man with three young children who has battled with depression and has been involved in incidents of self-harm. He said that his wife acted as his carer.
He again asked the court to take into account his guilty plea and expressions of remorse.
Judge Rory McCabe asked if the accused was in a position to make ‘a more concrete expression of his remorse’. “I am in mind to give him the time. These injuries are very serious and have had a serious impact on the victim’s life,” he added.
He agreed to adjourn sentencing until February 7 next, when the co-accused is before the courts.