Beach bully faces prison for assault on boy (14)

A man who attacked a 14-year-old boy in Blackrock last summer was identified thanks to a public service card that he had dropped at the scene, Galway District Court has heard.

Judge John King was not impressed to hear that the defendant had been on a peace bond from another court at the time.

“He has serious anger management issues – he was on a bond when he committed this offence, for violent disorder,” he said.

“I’d need a lot of persuasion why I should not impose a custodial sentence, and why he might be suitable for community service or a suspended sentence.”

Adam Conroy (20), with an address at 189 Grotto View, Battery Heights, Athlone, pleaded guilty to the serious assault on the boy, who is now 16, on June 9 last year.

Sgt. Finbarr Philpott told the court that the defendant had travelled down to Salthill with a large group of about 12 males to take advantage of the good weather. They were on the beach near Blackrock when there was interaction between themselves and a group of younger males, among them was the injured party.

“When the Athlone group were leaving, the defendant came over and assaulted the injured party,” he said.

“He was identified because his public service card fell on the ground during the course of the assault. It was picked up by the injured party, and the picture was identified to Gardaí as the person who assaulted him. The injured party was 14, and the defendant was 19 at the time.”

The court heard that Conroy had six previous convictions, among them for threatening and abusive behaviour in public. Most notably, however, he had been placed on an 18-month peace bond by another court on October 14 2015.

“It was still in place at the time of this incident,” Judge King noted.

Conroy’s solicitor, Olivia Traynor, told the court that her client had pleaded guilty at the earliest date, and was dealing with his anger and addiction issues.

“He’s asked me to say he’s very sorry, he was showing off, and didn’t realise how young the injured party was,” she said.

The injured party (16), who cannot be identified, said that his physical injuries had healed, but that he was now cautious around people drinking.

He said that he would accept the €1,500 compensation put forward by Conroy.

Despite his solicitor’s best efforts, Conroy continually interjected the young victim’s evidence to say he was sorry, at times turning around to address the teenager’s mother.

The Judge directed a general probation report to be submitted, along with a community service assessment.

“If he is lucky enough to get community service, he could be expecting the full 240 hours in lieu of six months in prison – that could be the best he could hope for,” he said.

“The court is not convinced that he should not get a custodial sentence. I want a very good probation report for him, that he engages fully, and that he engages, and is turning his life around, otherwise he is going to Castlerea (Prison).”