Thomas O'Hara (19), from Killycanavan Road, Dungannon, admitted a charge of assaulting the injured party causing him actual bodily harm. Deputy District Judge Trevor Browne told O'Hara at Dungannon Magistrates Court that it was "a really ugly incident" and his sympathy was with the victim who suffered an unprovoked and "needless attack”. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
Prosecuting counsel told the court that at approximately 1pm on June 24, 2022, police received a report from the injured party about being attacked by a group of people. He claimed he had been called a “paedophile” before O’Hara punched him twice in the face and he fell to the ground. Counsel said the victim curled up and was kicked and punched multiple times by members of the group who he could not see.
The victim sustained cuts and bruises and received a paper stitch to his eye brow. Advertisement Advertisement The lawyer said on July 27 police spoke to O’Hara, who did not answer any of their questions. Defence solicitor Stephen Atherton stressed the defendant is the only individual to be brought to justice in this matter.
Mr Atherton said it happened when O’Hara was seventeen-and-a-half and he had never been in trouble before. Describing it as “an unsavory incident”, the solicitor explained the defendant was experiencing a troubled time in his life and was in foster care. He said the defendantwas now working as a concreter and had cooperated fully with Probation, who considered him suitable to work with.
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