A man who punched a 13 year old child in the face in a row over a fall-out at a school has been ordered to pay the boy €750.
Fisherman Leonard Meehan came out of a pub in Ardara, Co Donegal and confronted two young boys who were sitting on a wall.
After words were passed, 41-year-old Meehan punched the boy in the face causing his head to go backwards and bang off a wall.
Meehan then walked off down the road.
The accused appeared at Falcarragh District Court where he was charged with both assault and engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour at Main Street, Ardara on October 13th, 2015.
The court was told that there was CCTV footage of the incident which was viewed by Judge Paul Kelly.
Gardai told the court that the two young boys had been playing pool earlier in the day in the same pub which Meehan was drinking in.
When he emerged from the pub, there was an altercation after one of the boys let out a loud cough.
The incident resulted in the ten 13-year-old boy was attacked and left with a swollen face.
Garda Martin O’Donnell said Meehan’s partner’s child was involved in a falling out with another child which had led to the situation.
The boy, who was in court with his family, said he had fully recovered.
Meehan, of 185 Ard Connell, Ardara, did offer a public apology to the boy and his family in court.
Judge Kelly said he was ordering Meehan to pay €750 and ordered him to reappear in court on May 24th when he would then decide on sentencing in the case.
And he added “He is to pay €750 as a gesture of remorse to young boy’s family to compensate for the ordeal he has been put through and for having to face the stress of contested hearing.
“This was one of the clearest pieces of video footage I have ever seen. There is no excuse or provocation or justification and it is totally unacceptable for an adult to strike a child in any circumstances.”