John Street in Omagh – the scene of the late night attack
A 22-year-old man who was involved in a “shocking” late night alcohol fuelled attack in Omagh was told he could have been facing a charge of murder or manslaughter.
Matthew Black from Tempo Road, Enniskillen was sentenced to two years in jail which Judge Geoffrey Miller suspended for two years.
Three co-defendants, James Elliot (21) of Tattygore Road, Lisbellaw, Jonathan Richard Black (23) of Sunnybank, Tempo and Christopher Paul Black (21) Rathview Park, Lisbellaw have already been sentenced to suspended jail terms in relation to the incident.
Matthew and Jonathan Black are brothers.
They are not related to Christopher Black.
The victim of the attack sustained a broken jaw, displaced cheekbone, two fractured ribs and a cut to his head, which required staples.
The court was told that 15 months on he still suffers from numbness to the right side of his face with no feeling to three teeth and his gums.
He also experiences sharp pain in the region of his right eye if he drinks anything hot.
The judge noted that it was clear his eyesight had been affected. Another man received minor injuries amounting to cuts and bruises.
Black broke down in the dock as was he was remanded in custody when Judge Geoffrey adjourned sentencing at the Crown Court last Friday (15) week.
He was brought back into the court in handcuffs by a prisoner officer in Omagh on Thursday.
The court is just yards from John Street where the assault took place.
The judge noted that a week in jail had been a “short sharp shock” for the defendant who had no previous convictions.
Speaking about the nature of the assault, the judge referred to the “seemingly unstoppable series of drink fuelled acts of violence which occur on a weekly basis in towns such as Omagh.”
He added, “Over the Christmas period a young man tragically lost his life as a result of an assault in the very area where this incident occurred.
“Lives can and are being lost and those involved in this assault should realise that it too could have easily resulted in death.”
The judge also stated that Black and his co-defendants had involved themselves in a “nasty series of assaults” and that the description of an attack on the victim as he “lay on the ground in a defenceless state was shocking.”
He did however add that while Black was an active participant in the attack there was no evidence that he kicked the victim as he lay on the ground.
Defence barrister Ian Turkington, instructed by solicitor Padhraic Cunningham, said his client made “free and flowing admissions” and was “troubled” by the seriousness of the assault.
He added that Black was “ashamed and embarrassed by the stigma which now falls upon him” and that he “now realised his behaviour was childish and pathetic and had apologised profusely.”
Suspending the two year jail term, Judge Miller said he did not consider the defendant to have crossed the threshold of being a dangerous offender.
He also accepted that the remorse was “genuine,” that Black has not consumed alcohol since the events of that night and had made efforts to change his life for the better.
He told Black, “I have given you a week in custody to reflect on the consequences of that night. The effect of that was a short sharp shock.
“Keep out of trouble and keep going as you are going and you will not have to serve that sentence.”
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