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A COOKSTOWN man who assaulted two women in a takeaway, knocking one of them unconscious, was today handed a combination order and ordered to pay compensation to the injured parties.
Appearing before Dungannon Magistrates Court on Wednesday was Danny Peter Semaus Maguire (33), of Burnvale Crescent.
Maguire was arrested on October 2 last year after footage of the incident had been circulated locally.
The court heard that on September 27, Maguire entered a takeaway in the James Street area of Cookstown where he asked one of the women for a lighter before putting his arm around her.
When questioned by the women regarding what they described as ‘inappropriate behaviour’, Maguire then became aggressive.
The court was told that Maguire began shouting, “I’m Danny Maguire” repeatedly before insulting the women using derogatory language.
One of the women slapped Maguire twice on the face before he pushed them both to ground, knocking one of the women unconscious while the other sustained injuries to her leg.
Following his arrest, Maguire told police that he had been drinking all day and could not remember the incident taking place, further admitting that he was ‘disgusted’ by his actions.
A video of the incident was shown in court and Maguire’s defence counsel stated that, despite a previous attempt to contest the charges, he did not seek to make a self defence case.
The defence further noted that Maguire and his family were left ‘horrified’ after the footage of the incident had went viral online.
It was also stated the since the incident, Maguire had abstained from alcohol, with his defence noting that it had been 10 years since he had last been before the court.
District Judge Rafferty described Maguire’s actions as ‘appalling’ and ‘disgusting’ and said that he would offer no credit following Maguire’s attempt to contest the charges, further labelling him a ‘bully’ and a ‘thug’.
He further stated that, in this case, any backlash that Maguire had received from the public following the video of the incident going viral ‘may have been appropriate’.
Maguire was handed an 18 month probation order and given 80 hours community service.
He was also ordered to pay compensation of £500 to each of the injured parties.
