A “model citizen” saw red and repeatedly punched a fellow Co Dublin yacht club member in a row over a billiards game, a court has heard.
Steven Gillman (70) believed his refereeing skills were being “belittled” by the victim in the case during a tournament at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire last September, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.
As a result, Gillman “saw red” and set upon the 70-year-old man, punching him repeatedly to the face and twice more after he had fallen to the ground, Garda Steven Carton told David Perry BL, prosecuting.
The victim suffered a fractured eye socket and a dislocated eye lens as a result of the attack and required extensive and ongoing medical care. He continues to suffer with double vision and tinnitus and his sailing and golfing hobbies have suffered as a result.
Gillman, of Castlepark, Monkstown, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to the club member at the yacht club at Harbour Road, Dún Laoghaire on September 29th last. He has no previous convictions and was described by defence counsel as a “model citizen”.
He has since resigned from the yacht club, which was a “significant part of his social life”, his barrister Marc Murphy said.
“He knows he made a complete fool of himself,” Mr Murphy told the court, adding that Gillman had let himself and his family down. He said Gillman had €5,000 in court as a token of his remorse.
Judge Elma Sheahan said that because Gillman has no previous convictions and has lived a pro-social life to the age of 70, a probation report was required. She said €5,000 was “nowhere near enough” and a sum of €15,000 would be more appropriate. She adjourned the matter to November 24th.
In a victim impact statement read out by prosecuting counsel, the victim said he would never forget the “manic” look in Gillman’s eyes as he punched him.
“I am grateful to be alive, but the scars – seen and unseen – will remain forever,” he said.
The man said he has suffered permanent sight damage as a result of the assault and required surgery. “The psychological toll has been immense,” he said, adding he is now anxious that his social life has dropped and that he no longer enjoys playing snooker. He said he was shocked to be assaulted at the age of 70 “in my yacht club by another member”.
The court heard Gillman was interviewed by gardaí after the man reported the incident and prior to this he had sent an email to all the yacht club members apologising for his actions.
He told gardaí he felt the man was making “snide” comments about his ability to referee the billiards game during the tournament and felt uncomfortable and anxious as a result. He said he asked the man to apologise after the game, but he refused. Gillman said he “saw red” and punched him.
Gillman runs his own educational software company and had been looking forward to his retirement, the court heard.
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