Teenagers sentenced over assault

Two teenagers who attacked a middle-aged man while high on drugs and alcohol resulting him being treated in both Cavan and St. James"s Hospitals were each sentenced to 18 months at Cavan Circuit Court when they pleaded guilty to the offence. Patrick Lee (19), 13 Park View, Cavan town and Kevin Kelly (19), 21 Killymooney Drive, Cavan town, were charged with assaulting Dominic Lynch (58) at Park View on November 16, 2007. Garda Eileen higgins said she received a report that a man had been assaulted outside his home at 15 Park View. She met the injured party and his face was covered in blood. He was advised to go to hospital. His son Declan informed Garda Higgins that he was visiting his parents with his wife and baby. Declan noticed the two defendants outside the house. When he was putting his child into the back of the car they tried to initiate a fight. His father came out and was attacked. Dominic Lynch was knocked to the and kicked. Declan managed to pull the two defendants off his father. A rock was thrown through the window of Declan"s car. Patrick Lee lived at 13 Park View, while Mr. Lynch lived at 15. Lee had 14 previous convictions while Kelly had 16. Dominic Lynch said he and his family had been affected by the assault. His 13-year-old son witnessed it and it affected him terribly. While he was in hospital his daughter came to stay with his wife. The next day she was standing at the door when some friends of the defendants threatened her with a hatchet and a knife. Mr. Lynch was treated first in Cavan but was transferred to St. James"s in Dublin where he had a metal plate put in his head. 'They should be sent away for five years for what they did,' he added. Both defendants apologised from the witness box to Mr. Lynch for the attack. Judge John O"Hagan said Mr. Lynch was a totally innocent by-stander when Lee and his sidekick Kelly took him on for what reason he (judge) didn"t know. They savagely beat and kicked him and gave his family a terrible fright. Mr. Lynch underwent surgery in Dublin where a metal plate was put in. 'He did nothing wrong.' Lee may have tried to stop Kelly but then got stuck in, added the judge. 'Society must be protected from people like this and Mr. Lynch is entitled to be protected from people like this. Judge O"Hagan could see where Mr. Lynch was coming from when he said the defendant should go away for five years. He had considered community service and a suspended sentence but he felt an 18-month sentence was appropriate backdated to January 22, 2009.