A man from the Republic of Ireland has been given a suspended prison sentence for throwing a firework at a child at the Londonderry Halloween festival.
Cory O’Kane, 24, of Milltown in Convoy, County Donegal, admitted throwing the firework, assaulting the child and obstructing the police on Monday.
The incident happened at the Quayside Shopping Centre car park in the city.
Police officers were sent to the scene and found a nine-year-old girl who was “visibly distressed and crying”.
The child’s grandmother told the officers that the child was hit with a firework.
She said a man was seen throwing the firework in the car park, getting into his car and then driving away.
After the girl was hit with the firework she told her grandmother that she had a sore leg and sore eye.
O’Kane was in his car, waiting to exit the car park when the police arrested him.
They found a large firework and eight firecrackers in his possession.
‘Absolutely stupid’
Londonderry Magistrates’ Court heard that the defendant initially gave police a false name and when he was challenged on that he did so again.
Police later worked out his identity from his fingerprints and O’Kane then admitted the offences during an interview.
His defence solicitor said the incident was “absolutely stupid”.
He said O’Kane was “very upset” and had not intended to cause any harm.
The judge sentenced O’Kane to five months in prison, suspended for three years.
O’Kane was also ordered to pay the child £200 in compensation.
