guilty plea Transgender woman 'morto' after bloody punch-up in a drunken rage

A transgender woman who left her aunt's partner in intensive care after punching him and a number of others in a drunken rage following a karaoke session said "I'm really morto with myself…why did I say yes to going to the pub" after watching CCTV of the incident.

Hairdresser Shauna Kavanagh (33), who was charged under her previous name at the time of the offence, knocked out Tommy Coogan when he tried to stop the accused attacking other people outside of a Dublin pub she had been kicked out of after assaulting another man.

Mr Coogan suffered several serious injuries, including a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain, and was placed in intensive care for eight days after the attack. He regained consciousness and recovered from his injuries but died of cancer last year.

Kavanagh shouted that someone "spiked my drink" as she appeared in Dublin Circuit Court this week, where she pleaded guilty to a count of assault causing harm and two counts of assault on James Street, Dublin, on December 9, 2017.

The claim about the drink being spiked was not backed up by any evidence introduced in court, and earlier Judge Elma Sheahan told Kavanagh's legal team to remind her to not to shout from the dock while other people were giving evidence.

Kavanagh, from Priory Hall Whitehall Road, Kimmage Manor, had gone to the Malt House pub that night with her aunt Evelyn Bolger and Tommy Coogan, who was Ms Bolger's partner.

The court heard Kavanagh had called over to Ms Bolger's home to cut her hair and they spontaneously decided to go to the pub afterwards.

They took part in a karaoke session in the pub and one witness later told gardaí Kavanagh had been a "lovely fella" earlier in the night. However, the court heard witnesses said Kavanagh started "getting messy and getting drunk".

The court heard she grabbed the mic, knocked drink over and was behaving "like a bold child".

Barman Ian Byrne warned Kavanagh to behave or she would be kicked out and a short time later she knocked over more drink and was told to leave.

Bottles

Garda David Redmond said Kavanagh then picked up a number of wine bottles to take with her and then swung one of the bottles at Mr Byrne.

"The barman said it was like he snapped," Gda Redmond said.

Mr Byrne and customers in the pub, including Denis Heatly, were among a group who pushed Kavanagh out of the pub.

CCTV played in court showed Kavanagh throw another bottle at Mr Heatly, who then punched Kavanagh to the ground.

Mr Bolger and Mr Coogan came out around this time to get Kavanagh away from the situation and tried to calm her down on the other side of the road but Kavanagh then ran back and started throwing more punches at people outside the pub.

At this point Mr Coogan ran over and tried to stop Kavanagh continuing her attacks but Kavanagh turned around and punched him in the head.

The CCTV shows Mr Coogan immediately fall backwards and smashed the back of his head off the ground, where he lay motionless with blood coming out of his ear while Kavanagh continued to brawl with others present. She was later rugby tackled to the ground and held until gardaí arrived.

She was taken to Kilmainham Garda Station where the following day she told gardaí she remembered being in the pub but couldn't remember attacking anyone.

Gardaí then played CCTV of the incident and she said she was appalled and surprised at herself and that what happened was "embarrassing".

She said: "That's me... I'm disgusted, appalled, and ashamed... I'm really sorry. I'm morto with myself and really want to apologise."

The court heard Mr Coogan had fractures to his left eye socket, right eye socket and the base of his skull as well as a bleed on the brain. He spent eight days in and induced coma in ICU before regaining consciousness. He was discharged three weeks after the attack.

He died from cancer last year.

Judge Elma Sheahan adjourned the matter to Monday when she will set a sentence date.

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Online Editors