Man jailed for assaulting a neighbour in a supermarket carpark

By Niamh O’Donoghue

A man has been jailed for three years for assaulting his neighbour in a supermarket carpark leaving him with a broken nose, a fractured eye socket and nerve damage.

Stephen McKeever (49) of Errigal Road, Drimnagh, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to the man in the carpark of SuperValu Walkinstown on November 22, 2023.

A charge of threatening to kill or cause serious harm was taken into consideration.

McKeever, who has no previous convictions, has 10 children and 10 grandchildren, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.

Detective Garda Keith Brannigan gave evidence that a warrant was obtained the following day and when gardai arrived at McKeever’s home after midnight he said he knew why they were there saying: “it’s me you’re here for, sorry I saw red.”

CCTV from SuperValu in Walkinstown showed the injured party walking towards his car when he saw McKeever exiting his vehicle. McKeever kicked and punched the victim for up to two minutes, the court heard.

When interviewed, McKeever said he’d had a few pints. “I just saw my wife’s face in my head,” he said, referring to a previous incident between the injured party and McKeever’s wife.

McKeever said he had been “on the beer all day yesterday”.

He was shown CCTV of him getting out of his vehicle and said “so fucking sorry” and “whatever words came out of my mouth I’m not a gangster”.

Photos of the injuries sustained by the victim were handed in to the court.

The injured party suffered a broken nose, fractured eye socket and three of his teeth were chipped.

He had to go to the Eye and Ear Hospital, had bruising on his body, and had to spend three days in St. James’ Hospital where he had surgery.

In a victim impact statement handed into the court, the victim, who did not attend, said he was deeply affected and struggled to feel safe when out in public.

He said he was waiting to collect his daughter and granddaughter at the time of the assault.

He said he suffered a broken nose, fractured eye socket, nerve damage, but the most profound impact was on his mental wellbeing.

Under cross-examination, Det Gda Brannigan agreed with Oisin Clarke BL, defending, that McKeever has been on strict bail conditions.

He further agreed  McKeever was “100 per cent co-operative” in interview, entered an early guilty plea and made full admissions.

It was also agreed McKeever said it was “a moment of madness” and “he saw red”.

The garda agreed it was out of character for McKeever who previously had a pro-social life.

In mitigation, Mr Clarke said it was a “complete and utter moment of madness”.

McKeever drank 17 to 18 pints on the day before, the court was told.

Mr Clarke said his client was an almost 50-year-old man who had never come to attention of the court before.

He said the assault happened following an altercation between McKeever’s wife and the injured party.

Counsel said he was a man well regarded by his family.

He has 10 children and 10 grandchildren with two more on the way.

References handed into court stated he “is the bedrock of the family.”

A newspaper article was handed into court about McKeever’s involvement in the raising of “a lot of money” for children with special needs.

“This is a man who is a strong family man,” with a “charitable nature,” Mr Clarke told the court.

Mr Clarke said his client had a drinking problem “that got worse over Covid”. He has since regulated his drinking.

McKeever has a cardiac issue and is booked for an angiogram, the court was told.

Counsel said “90 seconds or two mins of madness that has destroyed his life”.

Mr Clarke said a probation report put McKeever at moderate risk of re-offending because “of elements used in the offence itself’, and this was not based on an analysis of his previous good character.

Counsel said McKeever has regulation difficulties and is still drinking but the Probation Service are willing to deal with him.

Judge Patricia Ryan said it was an aggravating factor that it was a protracted attack causing the injured party to sustain a head injury and lasting nerve damage.

In mitigation, she took account of McKeever’s early plea of guilty, his previous good record and his expression of remorse.

She said he was a man with an excellent work ethic and he was a family man who provides support to all members of his family.

The judge set a headline sentence of seven years but reduced it to four with the final year suspended.

The judge said McKeever is to remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for one year post-release and to keep away from the injured party for three years.

The judge reiterated that he is to have no contact whatsoever with the injured party.