A so-called "happy slapping" incident was thwarted when the target turned out to be a bouncer who held his attacker until gardaí arrived, a court heard yesterday.
Evidence was given that payroll department employee Thomas Wehrung (22) struck a 50-year-old man on the back of the head in the belief that it would make a good mobile phone video.
He pleaded guilty to assault and was ordered to pay €600 compensation. Dublin District Court heard he had been on his way home from a long night's drinking when he and a friend decided to engage in a bit of "happy slapping".
This is a phenomenon which has grown out of the video-enabled mobile phone when so-called pranks are filmed in which sometimes total strangers are hurt or intimidated on the street. Some of the material has been posted on the internet.
Judge James Scally said yesterday he considered it a despicable form of amusement.
He was told that Wehrung, who is from France and doing a gap year in Ireland, slapped the man on the back of the head and knocked him to the ground. Wehrung's friend filmed the incident which occurred on the North Circular Road, Dublin, at about 5am on November 5th. The victim and another man held on to Wehrung until gardaí arrived and arrested him.
Garda Robert Smithers said the man suffered no injuries and although he was in his 50s, he worked as a doorman and was "quite able-bodied". Wehrung apologised to the man immediately.
Defence solicitor John Doherty said Wehrung was ashamed of what he had done. He had been drinking since 10pm the previous night and was on his way home in an intoxicated state when he decided to do "a bad prank". Sentence was adjourned to December 19th.