Off-duty garda got ‘paralytic drunk' at stag and assaulted hotel porter, court told

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'Mr Fitzmaurice had four or five drinks and all of a sudden he was paralytic drunk and he had to be brought home'
Caoileann Fitzmaurice (31)l leaves Ennis courthouse after escaping a conviction for an assault on a hotel porter during a 'stag' weekend in Ennis in January 2023 Photo: Press 22
An off-duty garda and former inter-county GAA star got 'paralytic drunk' during an 'alcohol-fuelled' stag weekend before assaulting a hotel porter, a court in Clare has been told.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett said: 'It is a shame really that but for the isolated incident on a stag night where Caoileann Fitzmaurice drank sambuca he probably wouldn't be here at all."
Judge Gabbett said: 'Mr Fitzmaurice had four or five drinks and all of a sudden he was paralytic drunk and he had to be brought home. Then he was confronted by this nice man (Olufegun Lawal) who was trying to direct him to the right place when the melee ensued.'
The judge described Mr Fitzmaurice, who has represented Roscommon at senior inter-county football level, as having been on 'an alcohol-fuelled weekend'.
Fitzmaurice (31), who is stationed at Pearse Street Garda Station in Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting Olufegun Lawal at the Queen's Hotel, Abbey Street, Ennis, Co Clare, on January 21, 2023.
Caoileann Fitzmaurice (31)l leaves Ennis courthouse after escaping a conviction for an assault on a hotel porter during a 'stag' weekend in Ennis in January 2023 Photo: Press 22
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Judge Gabbett said that he would not be imposing a conviction on Mr Fitzmaurice for the late-night assault and instead imposed the Probation Act on the man and made a compensation order for €5,000, which was handed over to Mr Lawal.
He said would not convict Mr Fitzmaurice 'due to the exemplary fashion in which he has engaged with the Probation Services'. The manner in which Mr Fitzmaurice – who has no previous convictions – had met the case was 'an example to others'.
'He has met the case head on, shown remorse, apologised, faced up to it and paid compensation,' the judge said. It is a very, very good probation report. Mr Fitzmaurice's own insight into the offending is excellent which comes out in the report.
'He has given up alcohol, he has engaged in counselling, he is getting married, he has engaged in very pro-social activities.'
Mr Fitzmaurice was described by the judge as 'a very well educated gentleman and has a qualification in criminology".
'There is obviously a significant future here for him in his current job with his qualifications.'
Mr Fitzmaurice was 'mortified' by what occurred.
'He has received significant publicity for this crime, which is very difficult for his family, his club mates and his colleagues.
'I am very conscious of the notoriety that this case has brought him - unfortunately Mr Google will follow him around for a long time.'
Judge Gabbett said he wouldn't expect to see Mr Fitzmaurice in a court again other than in his role as a state witness.
It was never easy for a member of An Garda Siochana to be before the courts.
Judge Gabbett said he was conscious of the internal disciplinary proceedings within An Garda Siochana which, he said, would have to happen because it is an assault.
The significant aspect of the disciplinary proceedings would be to get Mr Fitzmaurice "off administrative duties and back to his normal duties of preventing crime'.
Cian Kelly BL, counsel for Mr Fitzmaurice, asked that the case be struck out due to the manner in which Mr Fitzmaurice had met the case.
Judge Gabbett said that he didn't think it would change the outcome of the disciplinary process if the case was struck out.
Mr Kelly said: 'Unfortunately having dealt with the minutiae of that disciplinary process, I am very conscious that minute differences have significant ramifications in that process.'
Judge Gabbett said: 'The court has come as much as it can in terms of sanction.'
State Solicitor for Clare Aisling Casey said: 'From the very outset, the victim wanted an acknowledgement that he had done nothing wrong and the accused was apologetic to him.'
Mr Lawal opted not to provide a victim impact statement to the court.
On his way out of the courtroom, Mr Fitzmaurice shook hands with Mr Lawal.
In the prosecution against Mr Fitzmaurice taken by the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), Sarah Jane Comerford BL previously outlined the facts in the case to the court.
Ms Comerford said on January 21, 2023, Mr Fitzmaurice was off-duty on the night and out with friends in Ennis. He was brought back to the Queens Hotel by a number of friends.
Ms Comerford said: 'He was exceptionally intoxicated and in a confused state and was brought back by friends for the purpose of putting him to bed.
'But they left him in the care of hotel porter Mr Lawal and asked Mr Lawal to bring him up to his room.
'Unfortunately, Garda Fitzmaurice was in such an intoxicated state that he started walking around the hotel. He was very disoriented - he dropped the key to his hotel room and Mr Lawal who was at all times trying to assist him picked up the key and at that point, Garda Fitzmaurice struck him two times - once in the nose and once in the left eye and Mr Lawal caught the third blow.
Mr Lawal suffered a bloody nose and he did get some medical attention later that morning.
'The incident spilled out onto the street where a witness saw Mr Fitzmaurice holding onto Mr Lawal and kicking out. The incident was also captured on CCTV footage."
Mr Kelly previously said Mr Fitzmaurice attested as a garda in 2017.
Prior to the Ennis incident, Mr Fitzmaurice was a garda on beat patrol and was currently on office duties
Mr Kelly said that Mr Fitzmaurice was still heavily involved in GAA where he captains local senior football team Michael Glaveys in Roscommon.