Man “saw red” in row over billiards game

By Isabel Hayes

A “model citizen” saw red and repeatedly punched a fellow yacht club member in a row over a billiards game, leaving him with a fractured eye socket, a court has heard.

Steven Gillman (70) felt like his refereeing skills were being “belittled” by the victim in the case during a billiards tournament at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin last September, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday.

As a result, Gillman “saw red” and set upon the 70-year-old man, punching him repeatedly to the face and twice more after the victim had fallen to the ground, Garda Steven Carton told David Perry BL, prosecuting.

The victim suffered a fractured eye socket and a dislocated eye lens as a result of the attack and required extensive and ongoing medical care, the court heard.

He continues to suffer with double vision and tinnitus and his sailing and golfing hobbies have suffered as a result.

Gillman, with an address at Castlepark, Monkstown, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to the club member at the yacht club at Harbour Road, Dun Laoghaire on September 29 last year.

He has no previous convictions and was described by defence counsel as a “model citizen”.

He has since resigned from the yacht club, which was a “significant part of his social life,” Marc Murphy BL, defending, said.

“He knows he made a complete fool of himself,” Mr Murphy told the court. “To get to the age of 70 with no criminal record and then to end up before the Circuit Criminal Court…”

Gillman had “let himself down and let his family down”, defence counsel added. Gillman had €5,000 in court as a token of his remorse, the court heard.

Judge Elma Sheahan said that because Gillman has no previous convictions and has lived a pro-social life to the age of 70, a probation report was required in the case.

She said €5,000 was “nowhere near enough” and a sum of €15,000 would be more appropriate.

She adjourned the matter to November 24.

In a victim impact statement read out by prosecuting counsel, the victim in the case said he would never forget the “manic” look in Gillman’s eyes as he punched him for as long as he lives.

“I am grateful to be alive, but the scars – seen and unseen – will remain forever,” the man said.

He said he has suffered permanent sight damage as a result of the assault and required surgery.

“The psychological toll has been immense,” he said, adding he is now anxious, that his social life has dropped and that he no longer enjoys playing snooker.

He said the assault has affected his personal relationships and his reputation in the yacht club, which was his main social outlet.

He said he was shocked to be the victim of an assault at the age of 70 “in my yacht club by another member”.

The court heard that Gillman was interviewed by gardaí after the man reported the incident.

The court heard that prior to this, he sent an email to all the yacht club members apologising for his actions.

He told gardaí he felt the man was making “snide” comments about his ability to referee the billiards game during the tournament and that he felt uncomfortable and anxious as a result.

He said that he asked the man to apologise after the game, but the man refused.

Gillman said he “saw red” and punched him.

Gillman runs his own educational software company and had been looking forward to his impending retirement, the court heard.

He is extremely remorseful for his actions and co-operated fully with the investigation, defence counsel said.