The hearing of a man who punched broadcaster Brendan Courtney several times has been adjourned to allow his suitability for community service to be assessed.
Ross Deegan (22) of An Riasc, Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty to assaulting Courtney, causing harm, on February 27th, 2025, at Usher’s Quay in Dublin city centre.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that Courtney was walking home around 9.30pm on February 27th, 2025, when he was beckoned over to a car stopped at traffic lights.
The court heard the front passenger appeared to roll down the window and call him over. Courtney went over thinking he knew the occupants of the car and later described to gardaí that he believed they were ridiculing him. He turned to leave, tapping on the window as he went.
Deegan, who was a back seat passenger, left the vehicle, then assaulted Courtney along with a co-accused, who is also before the courts.
Courtney went to hospital the following day after waking up in pain. He sustained a concussion and a fracture of his eye socket.
After hearing the facts of the case in March, Judge Martina Baxter directed the preparation of a probation report and remanded Deegan on continuing bail.
The case was then adjourned to the next date in July as it was affected by ongoing action by solicitors in relation to the criminal legal aid scheme.
On Wednesday, Oisin Clarke, defending, confirmed the case could go ahead. He said Deegan had completed an anger management course. He said his client is assessed at low risk of reoffending.
The court heard the injured party does not wish to accept €1,500 previously brought to court by Deegan, and Judge Baxter directed it should go to the Mater hospital, as he suggested.
Judge Baxter considered the probation reports that were before the court and said she would adjourn the case one final time to allow Deegan’s suitability for community service to be assessed.
She adjourned the case to December 9th, 2026, for finalisation.
During a previous sentence hearing in March, CCTV of the assault was played to the court. Deegan ran at the injured party, then punched him. He threw two further punches to the side of the injured party’s head.
He voluntarily contacted gardaí on March 5th, 2025, identifying his involvement in the assault. He came forward from the District Court on a signed guilty plea.
A cyclist stopped and helped Courtney, who went into a nearby pub. Nothing was said by the men during the incident, and there was no suggestion the parties are known to each other, the court heard.
When interviewed by gardaí, Deegan claimed it was self-defence. He said that the injured party approached the car aggressively and struck the front passenger window with his fist.
Deegan said he perceived this as an attempt to hit his brother, who was in the front seat.
No victim impact statement was provided to the court.
Deegan has no previous convictions.
Garda Shane Monahan agreed with Clarke that the cyclist said in a statement that there had been a knock on the front passenger window.
Clarke said this is an “utterly bizarre offence”, which does not really have an explanation.
Referring to the statement from the cyclist, Clarke said the catalyst appeared to be a “bang of some description on the window” and that Deegan took umbrage. But he added that this was not an excuse for what happened and asked the court to take into account his client’s guilty plea, co-operation and youth at the time.
Two letters of apology, including one written to Courtney, and letters of reference from family members were handed to the court.
Clarke said his client was supportive of his two sisters, who are gay. He noted that his client is adamant that he did not know who the injured party was.
Judge Baxter said the court had concerns as Deegan behaved in “such a reprehensible fashion” on the night and has not come to other negative attention before or since.
She also directed that the €1,500 gesture of remorse should be given to gardaí for transmission to the Mater hospital.