Two Donegal men, involved in incidents in which one man died, were each given four-year suspended sentences at Letterkenny Circuit Court yesterday. One of the defendants was described as the best goalkeeper playing in the Irish League in Northern Ireland.
Gavin Cullen (22), Cockhill, Buncrana, and Stephen O'Donnell (21), Straboe, Buncrana, were convicted of assault causing harm to Mr Damien Gill (19) and Mr Gerard Doherty, both of Clonmany, Co Donegal, at St Mary's Road in November 1999.
Mr Gill died at the scene, but the medical verdict was inconclusive. All the parties concerned had consumed considerable amounts of alcohol when the first of several incidents erupted in a disco.
Judge Matthew Deery, who commented on the "reckless drinking" that night, said he did not think the two defendants would reoffend. Both had been remorseful. He suspended their sentences for five years on a bond of €500 and ordered them to pay €2,500 each to the Down's Syndrome Society in Donegal.