Saturday 31 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 17834Assault causing harm · Co. Monaghan · 24 Nov 2012

Man convicted of assault on Monaghan musician loses appeal

On 24 November 2012 in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, Eugene Hanratty Snr, a 65-year-old man, assaulted Martin McAllister, a Monaghan musician, leaving him with multiple facial fractures and permanent loss of peripheral vision in one eye. Hanratty Snr pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm, and a jury convicted him after a trial in October 2022. He was jailed for three years. In March 2024 the Court of Appeal dismissed both his conviction appeal and his sentence appeal, and said it would review other appeals raising similar grounds.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted21 Mar
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The victim's right arm was stamped on and he went in and out of consciousness.
  • The victim suffered multiple broken bones in his face and permanent loss of peripheral vision in one eye.
Where
The assault causing harm took place at Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.
When
The assault took place on 24 November 2012.
Cause
Hanratty Snr punched the victim in the head, pulled him down by the hair, kicked him and dragged him out of a vehicle.
Investigation
The defence argued that gardaí failed to properly examine the scene and that blood swabs and a cigarette were lost.
Charges
Hanratty Snr pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm.
In court
  • A jury convicted Hanratty Snr after a trial in October 2022.
  • The Court of Appeal held that the trial judge was correct to refuse the defence application to withdraw the case from the jury.
  • The Court of Appeal said it would take the opportunity to deprecate a developing practice of defence applications to withdraw cases from a jury.
  • The Court of Appeal dismissed both the conviction appeal and the sentence appeal.
Sentence
The headline sentence was five years, with one year reduced in mitigation and a further year suspended, and Hanratty Snr was jailed for three years.
Other details
Forty-one letters of recommendation were handed into the sentencing court for Hanratty Snr.
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe victim's right arm was stamped on and he went in and out of consciousness. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe victim suffered multiple broken bones in his face and permanent loss of peripheral vision in one eye. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe assault causing harm took place at Castleblayney, Co Monaghan. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe assault took place on 24 November 2012. (thejournal.ie)
  • causeHanratty Snr punched the victim in the head, pulled him down by the hair, kicked him and dragged him out of the vehicle. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationThe defence argued that gardaí failed to properly examine the scene and that blood swabs and a cigarette were lost. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeHanratty Snr pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtA jury convicted Hanratty Snr after a trial in October 2022. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal held that the trial judge was correct to refuse the defence application to withdraw the case from the jury. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal said it would take the opportunity to deprecate a developing practice of defence applications to withdraw cases from a jury. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal dismissed both the conviction appeal and the sentence appeal. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceHanratty Snr was jailed for three years. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe headline sentence was five years, with one year reduced in mitigation and a further year suspended. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherForty-one letters of recommendation were handed into the sentencing court for Hanratty Snr. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Mar2024
    Convictedthejournal.ie, first report
    Man convicted of 'brutal' assault on Monaghan musician loses appeal

    Reports the Court of Appeal's decision dismissing Hanratty Snr's conviction and sentence appeals, 2024. Adds the appeal grounds, the court's comments on defence applications to withdraw cases from juries, and the sentence reasoning.

    convicted, Eugene Hanratty Snr, 65, male, named, irish (judged from name)Eugene Hanratty Snrvictim, Martin McAllister, male, irish (judged from name)Martin McAllister