A woman who punched a 17-year-old attendant at a Pink concert at the Aviva Stadium after mistaking him for someone who had assaulted her husband has been convicted and fined €750.
Sarah Callan (37), of Cabra View, Kingscourt, Co Cavan, pleaded guilty at Dún Laoghaire District Court to a Section 2 assault.
The court heard the incident occurred on June 20, 2024, during a Pink concert at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Garda Kate Coleman Lenihan told the court that the victim, who was 17 at the time, was working as an attendant at the concert when Ms Callan punched him on the nose.
The court heard the teenager suffered pain and swelling and was treated by medical staff at the scene. He attended court with his mother but declined to make a victim impact statement.
Garda Coleman Lenihan said Ms Callan made full admissions on the night and was extremely apologetic. She believed the teenager was the person who had assaulted her husband earlier, but later realised she had been mistaken and had struck the wrong person.
Her husband had been receiving first aid for lacerations at the time. The court heard the earlier incident involving her husband was unrelated to the victim.
Defence counsel, Silvia-Maria Crowley, said Ms Callan accepted she should not have behaved in that way, regardless of what she believed had happened to her husband. Counsel submitted that the assault consisted of a single punch and was entirely out of character.
The court heard that Ms Callan works with Uisce Éireann but has been out of work for the past year following back surgery.
Ms Crowley said the defendant is due to relocate to the United States later this month, having already been granted a visa where her husband has secured employment. The court heard Ms Callan had no previous convictions.
Ms Crowley asked the judge to leave Ms Callan without a conviction, saying it could affect her ability to travel to the United States, and said she had brought €500 to court as a gesture of remorse, which the injured party agreed to accept.
Judge Conor Fottrell said the circumstances of the assault were “concerning and alarming” and described it as an unprovoked attack in a case of mistaken identity.
He said he could not imagine the impact on the injured party, noting that he had been a minor at the time and was simply doing his job and trying to earn some money. The judge added that it was a Section 2 assault and that the court had to mark the seriousness of what had occurred.
Judge Fottrell convicted Ms Callan and imposed a €750 fine, giving her seven months to pay. Legal aid was granted.