Actor Darren Healy, who was involved in a "punch up" which escalated when his victim hit his head and developed a blood clot on his brain, has been given six months to gather compensation.
Healy (28), of The Cottage, Killegar, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, who has appeared in such TV series as The Clinic, Love Is The Drugand Proof,pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Philip Bryan, causing him harm, at Eamon Doran's pub, Temple Bar, on June 10th, 2005.
Judge Patricia Ryan heard that doctors had not been able to establish whether the blood clot had been caused by Healy's assault on Mr Bryan or by his subsequent fall to the ground, when he hit his head on a step. The victim has since made a good recovery and was present in court.
Judge Ryan adjourned sentencing for six months to allow Healy, who is currently working in theatre in England, to gather compensation and allow urinalysis to be carried out.
Det Garda Paul Murphy told Garnet Orange, prosecuting, that Healy was standing on stools in Eamon Doran's, shaking and squirting bottles of "alcopop" over a crowd of friends, when Mr Bryan went over and appeared to try to calm him down in an amicable exchange.
Mr Bryan was taken to hospital for treatment, but discharged himself and returned home. He returned to hospital the following day and was treated for a blood clot on his brain after his mother found him unconscious.
Healy contacted gardaí and went to Pearse Street station voluntarily to make a statement.
Det Garda Murphy said that Healy had eight previous convictions for public order offences.
Bernard Condon, defending, said that if Mr Bryan had not hit his head this could have been "a standard punch-up in a nightclub". His client had never intended to cause such serious injuries and when he discovered the extent of the harm caused he immediately contacted gardaí.
Mr Condon said his client was an actor who had a history of substance abuse, but he had been clean for over a year. Healy was currently working in England and had secured work into the future in an unstable profession. He had expressed remorse and co-operated fully with gardaí.