Top criminal solicitor pleads guilty to assaulting a former colleague

By Declan Brennan

A top criminal defence solicitor has pleaded guilty to assaulting a former colleague in the capital.

Cahir O’Higgins (47) appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court shortly after one o’clock on Wednesday afternoon to answer bail in relation to an assault on February 11 last year.

Mr O’Higgins of Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin is charged with assault causing harm to Stephen O’Mahony at Wolfe Tone Quay on that date.

When the charge was put to him Mr O’Higgins, standing in the dock with his head down, told the court he was pleading guilty.

He added: “I apologise to Stephen O’Mahony and his family and I apologise to my own family for the shame, difficulty and embarrassment caused to them.”

Eoin Lawlor BL, prosecuting, asked Judge Melanie Greally to order the production of a victim impact report for a sentence hearing. Mr O’Mahony suffered a facial injury in the incident.

Michael O’Higgins SC, defending, asked the court for a sentence date next October. Judge Greally set a sentence date of October 18 next.

The judge remanded the defendant on continuing bail.

Over the past decade Mr O’Higgins has been among the top earners from the legal aid scheme in the country. The victim had worked at the defendant’s firm for several years until 2020, when he established his own practice in Dublin, with offices on Camden Street.