Dungannon man jailed for punching cousin 18 times in fight captured on motorcyclist’s camera

Belfast Crown Court heard that while Dwayne Michael Mullan didn’t start the drink-and-drug fuelled altercation, he “very much finished it.”

Mullan, from Fairmount Park in Dungannon, pleaded guilty to a single charge of attempting to wound his cousin with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm on November 26 last year.

Crown prosecutor Peter Magill said that on the day in question, the cousins and a female had been drinking in the city centre and that around 5.50pm a fight between the two men broke out in Amelia Street.

The altercation - which was captured on a camera installed on a passing motorcyclist’s helmet - then spilled onto the junction of James Street South and Brunswick Street.

Telling Judge Gordon Kerr QC there was “no doubt” the cousin started the fight, Mr Magill said the cousin ended up sitting on the ground with his shirt off - and at this stage Mullan was seen striking the other man on the head around 18 times “with what appears to be his fist.”

Mullan was arrested when police arrived, while his injured cousin refused to co-operate and subsequently sought not to have Mullan prosecuted.

Mullan later admitted that at the time of the fight, he was under the influence of drugs.

Defence barrister James Gallagher QC said it was accepted by the Crown that Mullan’s cousin was the aggressor, and that Mullan “over-reacted” when acting in self-defence.

Mr Gallagher told Judge Kerr: “At the time, both men were under the influence of drink and drugs, and that affected the way they both behaved.” He also revealed that drugs abuse “has been a long term problem” for Mullan.

Passing sentence, Judge Gordon Kerr handed Mullan an 18-month sentence and ordered that he serve half the period in custody with the remaining nine months spend on licence upon his release.

Judge Kerr added an additional nine months to Mullan’s licence period, bringing the total amount Mullan has to spend on licence to 18 months, after it emerged that he was deemed by the Probation Board to present a danger to the community.