A former Brown Thomas store manager who was "growling like a dog" when he bit a piece off a man's ear has received a three-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
William McDonnell (32), formerly of Whitethorn Park, Palmerstown, Dublin, bit the piece off Mr James Prendergast's ear in what the victim described i as "a frenzied attack" outside Rasher Geraghty's disco on Wicklow Street, Dublin.
Mr Prendergast was taken to St James's Hospital where he received 18 stitches after undergoing emergency surgery.
McDonnell pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr Prendergast on January 22nd, 1999, and to violent disorder on the same occasion.
Two other men involved in the incident, who were then employed as security guards by Brown Thomas of Grafton Street, received two-year suspended sentences. Frank McDonnell (30), a brother of William McDonnell, of Fox borough Close, Lucan, and Aidan Beatty (23), of Forest Close, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
Judge Elizabeth Dunne ordered that William McDonnell hand over £7,000 he had in court as an offer of compensation and gave Frank McDonnell and Beatty six months to pay £3,000 each.
She said that not only did Mr Prendergast have to deal with the physical injury but would also be dealing with the psychological aspects of what was a very traumatic incident.
She said that out of 25 to 30 people who saw the incident none was willing to come forward. This was "an appalling reflection" on society.
Garda John Hegarty told Mr Des Zaidan, prosecuting, that the three men were ejected from Rasher Geraghty's after a confrontation with a friend of Mr Prendergast. Garda Hegarty said that later that night when the disco was over at about 2.20 a.m, Mr Prendergast and his friends left to go home.
When outside, Mr Prendergast noticed five or six men walking towards them. He recognised the leader as one of the men who was involved in the earlier altercation.
Garda Hegarty told Mr Zaidan that the men confronted them again and in the ensuing fight William McDonnell grabbed Mr Prendergast around the throat and began kicking and punching him. The two others joined in. William McDonnell leaned over and bit a piece of Mr Prendergast's ear off. Mr Prendergast described it as a "frenzied attack" and said McDonnell was "growling like a dog".
Gardai came across the scene and the McDonnell brothers were arrested. Beatty was arrested three months later after voluntarily coming to a Garda station.
Mr Prendergast said he was in constant pain for six months after the incident and was unable to sleep on his left side.
Lawyers for the three men all pleaded for leniency because their clients had never been in trouble before and all had a good work history.