A Co Armagh man has admitted assaulting a solicitor by biting him on the forehead.
Paudraig O’Hagan appeared at Newry Crown Court on Wednesday by videolink from prison and with a new charge of actual bodily harm added to the indictment, defence counsel Damien Halleron asked for that to be put to the 33-year-old.
O’Hagan, from Calmor View, Lislea in Newry, entered a guilty plea to causing actual bodily harm to his victim on 12 January this year and following his admission, prosecution counsel Fiona O’Kane asked Judge Gordon Kerr KC to mark the remaining charges of wounding and theft as “left on the books.”
While the facts were not opened, during an earlier application for bail the court heard how the victim, a respected solicitor who did not know O’Hagan, was in his car on Church Avenue when the defendant opened the door, took the keys and grabbed the lawyer’s legs before the men began to grapple.
O’Hagan bit the victim on the forehead, struck the car window, kicked off a wing mirror and threw files and a laptop on the ground.
Mr “Halleron had previously indicated that O’Hagan “unreservedly apologises” for his actions which he can barely remember and on Wednesday, he asked Judge Kerr to adjourn passing sentence while a pre-sentence probation report is compiled.
Remanding O’Hagan back into custody, Judge Kerr said he would deal with the case on 8 November.