Man bites part of namesake's nose off in Christmas work party attack
A Ballymun man who bit the tip off a work colleague’s nose in an unprovoked assault at a Christmas party has had his sentenced adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Kelly (aged 42) admitted attacking his coworker, also called David Kelly, at the scene, then denied the incident a week later during garda interview but eventually pleaded guilty.
Kelly, a father-of-three of Marewood Crescent, Poppintree, claimed the injured party had assaulted him earlier that night at the party.
He pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Kelly (aged 25) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry in the early hours of December 9, 2007. He has three previous convictions, including one for assault, dating back to 1988.
Sergeant Frank Gormley told Mr Fergal Foley BL, prosecuting, that Mr Kelly was at the hotel reception booking a room for the night when Kelly assaulted him and bit off the tip of his nose.
Sgt Gormley agreed with Ms Mary Ellen Ring SC, defending, that her client had complained about the injured party assaulting him earlier that night, but he added that gardaí still do not know if that’s the true reason for the attack.
The sergeant agreed that the injured Mr Kelly had made no further complaint against Kelly after the incident while the pair continued to work in Walsh Family Foods Ltd.
Ms Ring submitted to Judge Katherine Delahunt that her client had worked with the injured party until the injured party’s departure from the firm without incident after the attack.
She submitted that Kelly had raised €3,955 as compensation for his victim despite working less shifts due to the economic downturn.
Judge Delahunt said she would adjourn the matter for sentencing in October but told Ms Ring that the injured party had described feeling isolated at work following the incident.
