Man avoids punishment for knuckle-duster brawl in shopping centre

A man involved in a brawl in Athlone Town Centre more than two years ago has avoided punishment after a District Court judge deemed it to to be “somewhat disproportionate” given a suspended sentence he is currently serving.

Ian Kiernan (31), formerly with an address at Clonbrusk, Ballymahon Road, Co Westmeath, appeared before Judge Bernadette Owens at Athlone District Court, charged with violent disorder and production of an article at Athlone Town Centre on April 4, 2024.

The court heard how, on April 5, 2024, Gardaí were on beat patrol through Athlone Town Centre when security staff reported that a number of people had been fighting in the centre with weapons the previous day.

Gardaí viewed CCTV footage which showed four males and one female having a confrontation near the escalators to the carpark. The row was taking place between the four males, while the female attempted to break them up, the court heard.

Ian Kiernan appeared to have a knuckle duster on his hand, while another unidentified male appeared to pick up a hammer from the ground, attempting to use it during the course of the row. Two other males could be seen “shaping” on the footage.

At one stage on the CCTV, Mr Kiernan can be seen swinging a punch and connecting with another male. He is also seen on the footage being chased by the unidentified male with the hammer.

Mr Kiernan was arrested and made no comment when questioned by Gardaí, but subsequently entered a plea of guilty to the charge of violent disorder in July of 2025, the court heard.

The court also heard that he was serving a suspended sentence at the time of this offence, and was released from custody for another matter in May of this year. Other matters were dealt with at the Circuit Court in October, resulting in a suspended prison sentence.

Mark Cooney, on behalf of Mr Kiernan, said his client was in “a very bad place because of addictions” at the time of the offence.

He spent some time in custody and was released in May. His probation report was “very positive” and indicated he was engaging well in prison.

Mr Cooney outlined that his client has the support of his partner and has been living and working on the Roscommon/Galway border ever since. He hasn’t come to any further adverse attention.

“It would appear - I hope - he has turned a corner. I’ve seen the CCTV footage going back a little while and it was very much a standoff and everybody having a go at one another. But it was in a public place, there’s no question about that,” said Mr Cooney.

“This was a very serious event with members of the public in the area. He did plead and I’m asking the court to deal with it in a non-custodial way given the length of time it’s before court and the progress of Mr Kiernan.”

Judge Owens took into account the plea entered in July 2025, the fact that it took place in a public place, and the fact he was chased by a member of the other party.

“It doesn’t in any way excuse the behaviour. If he’d been sentenced for this matter when he pleaded, the maximum sentence available to the court at that time would’ve been nine months,” she said.

“I’ve noted the Circuit Court outcome, and I’ve noted he is currently on a suspended sentence from the Circuit Court. That is a significant incentive to keep himself on the right side of things.”

She noted there have been no further issues since his release from custody in May 2026, and that he is now in a stable relationship and “seems to have made an effort to turn his life around”.

“If I record a conviction against him, it will engage the suspended sentence previously imposed in this court. That, to me, would, at this point, be somewhat disproportionate,” she said, opting to finalise matters by imposing Section 1(2) of the Probation Act.

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