Man, 20, awaits sentence for assault on Athlone stag night victim

by Tom Tuite

A CONSTRUCTION worker has admitted his role in a "protracted" drink-fuelled attack on an Offaly man who died on a stag night in Athlone, but gardai accept he did not cause the victim's death, a court heard.

Paul Connolly, 48, who was single and from Edenderry, Co. Offaly, was found unresponsive on Church Street in the Co. Westmeath town in the early hours of August 13, 2022.

Gardai opened a serious incident investigation and charged two local men over the tragic incident.

David Higgins, 20, of St Paul's Terrace, Athlone, appeared at this week's sessions of Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court and pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr Connolly and engaging in violent disorder during the early stage of the row.

Judge Keenan Johnson remanded Higgins in custody to appear again for sentencing on December 1.

"That night, he did not even want to go out. He never went out, and he never came home," the victim's sister told the court.

Detective Sergeant Kevin Craig agreed with John Hayden BL, prosecuting, that Higgins, who had been drinking cider and vodka since he left work at around 5pm, was involved in an initial part or early stage of an altercation with the deceased.

The court heard it began when Mr Connolly, who had also consumed a large amount of alcohol, allegedly asked another person, "Did you ever watch child pornography?".

When the accused, then 18, heard, "it was third-hand information".

He took offence, and despite efforts to hold him back, he and another person "set upon" Mr Connolly.

Detective Sergeant Craig said it was a "protracted assault" with punches and kicks, and the victim fell to the ground but got up and was also dragged by Higgins.

Higgins then worked in a hardware business and wore toe cap industrial boots.

The court heard he pulled off his own top, and the attack continued for 30 metres.

Mr Connolly also managed to land a couple of blows and tried to get to his hotel but was not allowed entry. That part of the incident "fizzled out". Higgins had no further involvement.

Later, gardai arrived and found Mr Connolly unresponsive on the ground, and a woman, who was a nurse, was trying to revive him, but "there no reaction".

Mr Higgins was nearby and gave his details to gardai.

CCTV footage was played during the hearing.

When questioned, Higgins admitted kicking the victim with his work boots on the ground to his stomach and head, "and as a result, he had a hole on his head above his eye-brow".

The injury was visible from photo evidence handed into court, which has heard a second person faces a more serious charge in connection with the incident.

Questioned by Delia Flynn SC, for Higgins, Detective Sergeant Craig agreed that the garda accepted the comment about child pornography could have been provocative to elicit a response and all parties were inebriated.

He agreed with her that there was a lot of drunk posturing, and a post-mortem found Higgins did not cause Mr Connolly's death.

The court heard there was no fracture of the skull, and a medical report described mild blunt-force trauma to the head. Counsel said the term her client used about a hole in the head was an emotive one, which was not reflected in the evidence.

Judge Johnson remarked the photo evidence showed an injury over Mr Connolly's eye.

The court heard Higgins worked since he left school in his mid-teens and wanted to become a carpenter. Ms Flynn described his role in the attack as a case of spontaneous behaviour arising from drinking.

Detective Sergeant Craig agreed her client did not try to minimise his involvement.

Higgins took the stand and apologised to the Connolly family, and said he had attended some alcohol abuse counselling sessions.

He had two subsequent public order convictions since.

Judge Johnson told him if he were genuinely concerned about controlling his alcohol and anger, he would have continued in counselling.

Judge Johnson sympathised with Connolly's family members in court. They did not wish, at this stage, to give formal victim impact statements, but a sister of the victim informally told the judge her brother, Paul, "did not go out much and that night he did not even want to go out. He never went out. And he never came home".

Sean Munnelly, 37, of Irishtown, Athlone, is accused of manslaughter and awaits a jury trial