Two Derry men have been handed suspended prison sentences and ordered to pay compensation for an ‘unprovoked attack’ at a taxi stand in the city centre.
Dale Kelly, 20, of Carnhill admitted four counts of common assault and a single charge of disorderly behaviour for offences that occurred on March 18 of last year.
Co-accused, Declan Burns, 19, of Parkmore Drive in the Strathfoyle area of the city, admitted possessing Class A drug ecstasy, three counts of common assault and a single charge of disorderly behaviour on the same date.
The court heard there was a record in respect of Kelly while Burns had no previous record.
A Public Prosecution Service (PPS) representative said on that date at 2.10am police officers were stopped by injured parties who said they had been assaulted by two males outside a taxi rank on Clarendon Street.
The defendants were arrested and Burns handed over four ecstasy tablets. CCTV cameras captured the incident, which started when the defendants ‘tried to skip the queue’ and developed into a fight.
The Public Prosecutor said Kelly kicked and punched a male first and Burns kicked and swiped the leg of another person. It turned into a ‘brawl’ on the street after what the PPS representative described as an ‘unprovoked attack’.
Representing Kelly, defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said it was St. Patrick’s night and ‘too much drink had been consumed’. “It was a misunderstanding about a taxi and one thing led to another,” he added.
In response District Judge Barney McElholm said: “It’s quite a serious thing, more rows start over people trying to take other people’s taxis.”
Kelly was sentenced to five months in prison suspended for three years and ordered to pay £400 to a man he kicked on the head and £200 each to three other men in compensation.
Burns was sentenced to three months suspended for two years, fined £100 for possession of the drugs and ordered to pay £150 to three male injured parties.
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