A 70-year-old man who ‘saw red’ while playing billiards has avoided prison – The Irish Times.

A man who punched another member of a yacht club, leaving him with a broken eye socket, after he felt his refereeing skills were being diminished during a game of billiards, has avoided jail time.

Steven Gillman (70) was awarded €15,000 in court as a show of remorse for the victim in this case, whom he beat during a billiards tournament at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin in September 2023.

Dublin Criminal Court heard Gillman “looked red” and lunged at the 70-year-old man, punching him repeatedly in the face and then twice more as the victim fell to the ground, Garda Steven Carton previously told David Perry BL, the person conducting the proceedings.

As a result of the attack, the victim suffered a fractured eye socket and a dislocation of the lens of the eye and required intensive and continuous medical care, the court said. He still suffers from double vision and tinnitus, and his hobbies of sailing and golf have suffered as a result.

Gillman, of Castlepark, Monkstown, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to a club member at the yacht club in Harbor Road, Dún Laoghaire on September 29, 2023. He had no previous convictions and was described by the defense attorney as “an exemplary citizen”.

He has since quit his job at the yacht club, which was “a large part of his social life,” defense attorney Marc Murphy told BL.

Sentencing Gillman on Monday, Judge Elma Sheahan said it was a serious assault that had a profound impact on the victim. She noted that Gillman was considered to be at low risk of re-offending, has a pro-social attitude and comes from a stable family background. She noticed that his remorse was sincere.

Judge Sheahan imposed a core sentence of three years, which she reduced to two years. She suspended the execution of the sentence in its entirety under several conditions.

In a victim impact statement, which was read earlier by defense counsel, the victim stated he would never forget the “maniacal” look in Gillman’s eyes when he punched him.

“I’m grateful to be alive, but the scars – visible and invisible – will remain forever,” the man said.

He said his eyesight was permanently damaged as a result of the attack and he required surgery. “The mental toll has been enormous,” he said, adding that he is now concerned that his social life has deteriorated and that he no longer enjoys playing snooker.

He said the assault affected his personal relationships and reputation at the yacht club, which was his main social outlet. He said he was shocked that, at the age of 70, he was the victim of an assault “in my yacht club by another member.”

The court heard that gardaí questioned Gillman after the man reported the incident. The court heard he had previously sent an email to all members of the yacht club apologizing for his actions.

He told gardaí that he believed the man was making “sneering” comments about his ability to referee a pool game during a tournament, which made him feel uncomfortable and anxious.

He said he asked the man to apologize after the match, but he refused. Gillman said he “saw red” and punched him.

Gillman runs his own educational software company and, the court heard, was looking forward to his upcoming retirement. His defense lawyer said he was very sorry for his actions and had fully cooperated with the investigation.

“He knows he made a complete fool of himself,” Murphy told the court. “To live to the age of 70 without a criminal record, and then end up in the District Criminal Court…”

Gillman “failed himself and his family,” the defense attorney added.