AN AUCTIONEER has been ordered to do 80 hours of community service and pay €500 in compensation after he beat up a man who accused him of bringing down the hammer on a sheep auction too quickly.
Declan Robinson beat up Paul Hegarty after a row about an auction at a mart in Co Donegal last year. Robinson (28), Larganreagh, Downings, met Mr Hegarty on a night out some days after the incident at Bonagee Mart in April 2010.
Mr Hegarty approached Robinson and a row ensued which resulted in Robinson giving Mr Hegarty a severe beating.
CCTV footage later showed how Robinson had struck Mr Hegarty up to 40 times, including giving him a number of kicks to the head.
A hospital report later showed that the victim had a swollen skull, two black eyes, a broken tooth and a number of lacerations to his face.
Solicitor for the accused Carrie Hegarty said the attack was as a result of an earlier altercation at Bonagee Mart.
She said Mr Hegarty had accused his attacker of bringing down the auctioneer’s hammer on the sale of three sheep before he could bid on them. She also pointed out that the hammer had been snatched out of Robinson’s hand during another auction.
She said her client had never been in trouble before and that he had done extensive work for charity as an auctioneer. On one occasion he raised €60,000 for charity during a “crazy auction”.
She said that shortly after the attack, Robinson – a father of one – had left Bonagee Mart, where he was employed, and was now jobless.
She added that her client had tried to avoid Mr Hegarty when he approached him again on the night in question but there was a lot of drink taken.
Judge Paul Kelly said this was a violent assault considering the amount of punches thrown.
“Irrespective of the provocation, there was a lot to this. He punched him between 30 and 40 times. This was a violent assault,” he said.
Mr Hegarty’s solicitor, Kieran O’Gorman, said his client was still suffering as a result of the attack.
A probation report ordered by Judge Kelly showed Robinson was a good candidate for community service. He applied the order of 80 hours of community service in lieu of four months in prison.