A man jailed for assaulting a security guard who interrupted his attempts to have sex with a woman in a toilet had his sentence suspended yesterday on condition that he keep the peace for three years.
Mr Robert Kavanagh, from Cloone, Claregalway, Co Galway, appealed the six-month sentence handed down in February 1998 by Judge John Garavan, who described the case as "shocking".
Mr Kavanagh had been attempting to have sex with a woman in a toilet for the disabled in a fast-food outlet in Eyre Square, Galway, when customers complained to security staff. The couple refused to leave the toilet and security men forced their way in.
Judge Harvey Kenny agreed to suspend the sentence on condition that Mr Kavanagh behave himself.
"I have been behaving myself ever since," he said.
"Good. Well, keep it up," Judge Kenny replied.