A Greysteel teenager knocked a man unconscious after he refused to give him a cigarette in a bar, a local court has heard.
Oran McKinney, of Dunlade Road, appeared before Limavady Magistrates Court this morning charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The court heard that the charge related to an incident which happened in The Well Bar, Ballykelly on April 4.
After receiving a report of an assault, police arrived at the bar where the injured party was being treated by ambulance staff prior to being escorted to Altnagelvin Hospital.
The injured party had been assaulted by a male who left the bar after the incident, the court was told.
Police subsequently viewed CCTV footage which showed 19 year-old McKinney roll up his sleeves before swinging a punch when the injured party walked through the bar’s door.
The court heard that the injury party fell to the ground and remained unconscious for a short time.
The injured party had to get five stitches on his cheek and 14 stitches to the inner part of his cheek.
During interview, McKinney admitted the assault which he alleged happened after he asked the injured party for a cigarette and he replied: “I don’t keep the country smoking.”
McKinney’s solicitor, Paddy McGurk said his client was ‘feeling particularly low’ on the day in question.
“He asked for a cigarette and the injured party made a throwaway comment,” he said, adding: “These one punch type of situations can lead to serious consequences.”
District Judge Liam McNally sentenced McKinney to 18 months’ probation and ordered him to pay compensation of £300 to the injured party.
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