Martial arts instructor jailed for killing 'beloved' innocent dad with one punch
We’ve been left devastated by Paddy’s loss, says family
Jonathan Dargan. Photo: Collins Courts
Declan Brennan
January 30 2020 02:30 AM
A professional martial arts instructor who killed an innocent passer-by with a single punch in a late-night street assault has been jailed for five and a half years.
Jonathan Dargan (49) was found guilty of killing Patrick 'Paddy' Mullally (56) by knocking him to the ground with a punch after the victim and another man had stopped to intervene in a drunken row Dargan was having with his girlfriend.
Speaking after sentencing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, Mr Mullally's family said they were the ones who had been left with a life sentence.
"Four years later, we're still absolutely devastated by the loss of our beloved Paddy.
"His life revolved around being a devoted dad, caring brother, fun uncle and a cherished friend," they said in a statement.
"We as a family miss him every day but there is also a huge group of friends who are grieving alongside us.
"No matter what happened today, sadly we're left with a life sentence."
Mr Mullally and another man, Shane Cunningham, had been out celebrating Mr Mullally's retirement from Guinness weeks earlier when they encountered Dargan on the Harold's Cross Road, Dublin, about 4am on March 6, 2016.
When Dargan began "swinging" punches, Mr Mullally put his hands up to shield himself. At least one punch connected with him, shattering his jaw and cheekbone and knocking him to the ground.
Mr Mullally suffered a subdural haemorrhage and brain trauma due to a blunt trauma to the face and head and died the next day.
The defendant, a taekwondo instructor who worked as a doorman at Lillie's Bordello nightclub for two decades, admitted "lashing out" with a punch. He claimed he was surrounded by the men, felt in fear and was acting in self-defence.
The court was told that Dargan shouted "bang bang" as he threw "fairly powerful" punches at the men.
Ms Justice Pauline Codd said this was a particularly chilling aspect of the case and evidence of a man who was in control of the situation and not somebody in fear.
She said the jury had rejected Dargan's defence that he was in fear and felt he was being surrounded and that independent CCTV evidence also showed this not to be the case.
The judge noted that Dargan's martial arts training meant he had a knowledge of the force and impact of his own strength and capacity. She said for a man with this strength and capacity to strike a defenceless and intoxicated man was an aggravating factor.
She said the victims were entirely innocent and had approached Dargan to assist a woman and to "do the honourable thing".
The violence was unwarranted and Dargan was in a state of intoxication and an angry mood.
A cyclist told the trial that when he had earlier stopped as the couple were rowing, Dargan had told him to "f*** off and mind his own business" and that "he'd kill him or stamp on his head on the ground".
Judge Codd noted in mitigation that Dargan had led a blameless life up to that point and that he had shown great support and strength to his family when his own mother was the innocent victim of a fatal shooting by a neighbour.
She suspended the final six months of a six-year prison term.
Dargan, of Belfry Manor, City*west, Dublin, denied the unlawful killing of Mr Mullally. He also denied assault causing harm to Mr Cunningham and to Mr Mullally's niece, Lauren Mullally, during the same incident.
At the sentence hearing on Monday, Vincent Heneghan SC, defending, said his client did not drink regularly and was very intoxicated on the night of the attack.
Irish Independent