Assault victim urges court to release Grafton St attacker

on 21/03/2013 13:53:28

A student who required brain surgery after being punched on Grafton Street is urging a court not to jail his attacker.

25-year-old Declan McGowan, living at the North Circular Road, Dublin was convicted of assault causing harm to Thomas Carter in the early hours of May 29, 2011.

Thomas Carter was struck in the face after getting into a row with a rickshaw driver on Grafton Street when his two friends ran away before paying.

Declan McGowan knew the driver and delivered the punch believing that the student had hit his friend.

Carter was left unconscious and required brain surgery and 41 stitches to his head.

However, he shook the hands of his attacker at the end of his assault trial and has now urged the court not to jail the culprit with a conscience who rang the hospital after the punch-up and apologised.

McGowan - who runs his own cleaning business - even said if he could he would take the scar and put it on his own head and admits his actions were stupid and not heroic.

Judge Patricia Ryan has ordered a probation report to be prepared before she passes sentence in May.