A former garda has been acquitted of beating a British Armed Forces commando about the head and back with a wheel brace following a night out.

Dara Mac Giolla Ri had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Colm Croghan at his own home in Sarsfield Street in Dublin 7 on October 17th 2009.

The 37-year-old was on trial along with his house-mate Kenneth Cooney – a captain in the Irish Defence Forces – who was also acquitted of assault by the jury yesterday.

It was claimed by the prosecution that Captain Cooney had held Mr. Croghan down on a couch while Mr. Mac Giolla Ri hit him on the back of a head with a wheel brace opening his skull.

Mr. Croghan has commando-style training in the British Armed Forces, has served in the French Foreign Legion and has previous convictions including drink driving.

He repeatedly denied he had gone berserk on the night.

But it seems the jury accepted the defence of the 2 men who said Mr. Croghan had started to strangle Captain Cooney in a row about  how their different ranks had affected their friendship.

The jury heard he feared for his life and Dara MacGiolla Ri had come to his rescue by striking Mr. Croghan 6 or 7 times with a wheel brace.

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