A Portadown man’s solicitor accepted his client had “exhausted all credit” after contesting a charge of common assault.
The 25-year-old was ordered to complete 180 hours of community service.
Colin Barry McGeown, of Garvaghy Park, appeared for sentencing at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Court heard the assault happened after a wake on the Garvaghy Road on December 23 of last year.
Defence solicitor Conor Lunny admitted by contesting the matter the defendant had “exhausted all credit”.
He stated McGeown “maintains that this man did take a beating but denies it was him”.
Mr Lunny informed the court the defendant had himself been the victim of an assault by someone he knew, and had been afraid to leave his house since the attack.
The solicitor said he was aware McGeown had “hamstrung alternative options” but asked for a community-based order to be imposed given the defendant’s lack of record.
District Judge Bernie Kelly said: “This was a nasty enough incident but if you had have pleaded guilty, given your record, you might have been given a fine.”
McGeown was ordered to complete 180 hours of community service and told to fully cooperate with probation.
