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A BRITISH STAG tourist who assaulted a student on a Dublin nightclub dance floor has been given a suspended sentence after a judge said it would be “unjust” to jail him.
Mark Wragg (36) punched the man in the face at D2 nightclub on Harcourt Street in the early hours of 18 November last year, fracturing his jaw, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Wragg, with an address in Snapehill Crescent, Dronfield, Derbyshire, UK, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the man.
Wragg was part of a 25-strong stag party that travelled to Dublin for the weekend, Garda JP Keohane told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting. It was his first time in Ireland.
The victim, a 20-year-old Maynooth University student, told gardaí he was on the dance floor on the night in question when Wragg came up to him and “aggressively” told him to keep away from him.
Wragg later told gardaí the victim was a “big guy” who was dancing too close to him and “pushing his chest out”.
The victim pushed Wragg and Wragg responded by punching him in the face.
The victim was taken to hospital with a fractured jaw and damage to his teeth. Wragg was ejected from the nightclub and arrested shortly afterwards.
He repeatedly told gardaí he “should have walked away” after the other man pushed him. “I lost my temper,” he told gardaí. “I raised my hand to his face and I shouldn’t have done that.”
Defence barrister, Keith Spencer BL, said his client was a self-employed gardener and a family man, who is married with children. He has no previous convictions in the UK.
Spencer noted his client was provoked prior to the assault but said he regretted it deeply. Wragg had €2,000 in court for his victim as a token of his remorse. This had been accepted by the victim, Garda Keohane said.
Sentencing Wragg, Judge Martin Nolan said the victim pushing Wragg first, “could be regarded as provocation but not justification”. But he said Wragg had met the case against him, had cooperated with gardaí and had an unblemished record.
He handed down a sentence of 18 months which he suspended in its entirety.
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He lost the Wragg
Sounded like the student was looking for trouble…. Well he got it…
@Jamie Jj Tobin:
Being close to someone on a crowded dancefloor is not looking for trouble.
I would have liked to hear the victim’s interpretation of events. Sounds to me like the other guy who had 24 mates to back him up was the one looking for action that night.
Big age difference also in a 35 year old assaulting a student barely out of his teens.
@Gene Dexter: I’m only going from the report, it states that the student pushed wagg and he responded by punching him. It didn’t say the student denied this happened. I have been in this situation and got many a punch for squaring up to fellas. If you just walk away no one gets punched. I in no way condone what wagg done to the student but if every one walked away and didn’t square up notting would of happened.
@Jamie Jj Tobin:
Good advice.
@Martino Treacio: I am a victim of assault and i am offend by what you said to me. Leave me alone, your just a bully
@Jamie Jj Tobin:
It kind of sounds like Wragg started it, someone dancing too close to you isn’t a good reason to start acting aggressively.
@Gene Dexter: Probably but you know how drink turns a lot of people into absolute morons, that’s your problem right there.
@Jamie Jj Tobin: That wasn’t a report, it was the convicted guy’s version of events
@Anne Marie Devlin: Well if its not a News Report I’m reading what is it? That’s what it said in the story, report, news report, article all the same to me is there a difference?
@Jamie Jj Tobin: so you think punching someone in the face is an appropriate response to getting pushed?
@Del Bear: No i do not. And as i said already i do not condone what wagg done. I hope this answers your question satisfactorily.
@Gene Dexter:
Or simply take responsibility for your actions.
The student acted the thug in the first instance.
It doesn’t justify the other guys actions but had he not have pushed, if wouldn’t have been punched.
@Gene Dexter: Student got what he deserved I’ve no doubt he wasn’t on his own either probably acting the hard man after drinking twice his body weight he had every right to protect himself if he was provoked hit or be hit
@Martino Treacio: snowflake, will you grow a pair and start acting like a man not a sissy.
There is something psychologically wrong with someone who can easily pivot to punch a stranger ferociously in the face with minor provocation.
@alphanautica: Not really, especially with alcohol on board it’s very easy for someone to lose their temper.
@alphanautica:
Agree with you. People who viciously assault others for no apparent reason should be psychologically evaluated by order of the court.
@Thunder Snowman: if its that easy for some people, then those people shouldn’t be allowed out, they’ve got anger issues and are a danger to the rest of us!
@Thunder Snowman: funny enough, in all my life neither my friends or I have punched anyone for dancing too close when we’ve been hammered.
@Gulliver Foyle: I know that most people go their whole lives without ever throwing a punch but what I’m saying is that I don’t think you have to have something wrong in your head to do it, that having a bad day then throw a ton of alcohol into the mix and it’s not that hard to see how someone could lose their temper.
How was he having a bad day? He was away on holiday with his friends. Millions of people haven’t had a break in years and he could afford to go abroad drinking and dancing and that’s supposed to be a hard life?
@Fiona Fitzgerald: he said a bad day not life. There’s always someone with the poor mouth and beggar mentality.
@alphanautica: ah man, students can sometimes deserve a slap, especially if there snowflakes. You know the type I mean, funny strange accents and kinda dressed like a girl. Floppy type runners with no socks. You get me
@Thunder Snowman: Don’t drink so much and no need to loose tempers
I immediately knew is was Suspended Nolan at work, why was I not surprised ?
@Gus Sheridan: Actually I think in this case the sentencing was right. He had no prior convictions, what would a prison sentence have honestly done for the man, it was an impulsive act and he knows he shouldn’t have done it. I doubt he’ll ever do it again.
@Thunder Snowman: I’m sure that had he boxed you in the mouth you would have been equally forgiving!
@Thunder Snowman:
Agreed!
Restorative Justice seems to be at play here and apparently it’s a process gaining much traction in these Islands.
A win win scenario! The student must have made a full recovery for this outcome. But it could have been far far worse had that punch landed on a more sensitive spot.
Mark shouldn’t have lost the…
This is why I always carry a knife……to the sitting room and cut up a nice cheese board instead od going to coppers.
@thenightmancometh: lol!
Read about this type of thing nearly every week in our local paper, so why is this case appearing in Journal…..
Red Wragg to a bull……
Seriously a 25 man stag party!!. Someone’s insecure
Sounds like the snowflake was a little bold, am happy the English lad didn’t get porridge, shouldn’t have hit the snowflake but he did push him first. I’m sure a lesson was learned.
Seems a reasonable enough outcome.
Welcome to Dublin – a lawless, overpriced kip full of crazed junkies and drunks.
Unjust?? Jesus Christ is it any wonder the country is the way it is, that’s GBH which should be punished by jail time. Meanwhile some young lad is mentally scarred for life.
Laughing stock.
@Ray Farrell: He got a box, mentally scarred for life??? Your man was clearly an ar$ehole. But he has a conviction against his name an two grand for the pleasure of it. Custodial sentence would have serviced no purpose but to cost the state about 150k.
@Bilbo Baggins: Well you obviously didn’t read the article, he got a fractured jaw as a result, takes a good whack to crack a jaw. Bit more than just a box, I’ve seen the effects of this type of assault first hand and the physiological effects it has. This is assault not just a box as you put it. Clown .
@Ray Farrell: He got a box, I didn’t say ‘just a box’. That box broke his Jaw. Ironic you resort to personal attacks given your stance on this matter.
Always clean the pipes before heading for a night out.
@Stevie Doran: Ah sure the brits are all the same, childish & think they are gods gift lol
@Murf: well that is a very stupid and inaccurate comment
I’m sick and tired of hearing suspended sentence this is no deterrent in preventing these all to familiar assault case’s
Why are you anti-British in the way you write. You constantly use “UK” yet use “United States”. Anywhere in England is “UK”. You are a journalist, can you not force yourself to write “United Kingdom” or “England”? You are a disgrace to Irish journalism. If you cannot write without your biased, prejudiced style, then please stop writing. Young people in particular are very impressionable, this anti-English/British style of reporting by you is disgusting. Shame on you.
…was in Wragg order.
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