Young man attacked woman after throwing pint glass
Waterford Courthouse.
A young man received a suspended sentence for attacking a woman at a house party in Waterford City.
Jamie Meredith, of 151 Larchville, pleaded guilty to one count of assault contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Act and a charge of production of an article, which was taken into consideration.
In December 2025, he appeared at Waterford Circuit Court for sentencing.
The 20-year-old attacked a woman during a house party on December 26, 2023. The attack was witnessed by the other women at the party.
Meredith had been drinking vodka earlier in the day before attending the small gathering.
Before the attack he became verbally abusive, calling the women ‘whores’ and insulting them. He threw a pint glass at one woman, narrowly missing her and smashing into a wall. He grabbed and repeatedly punched the victim, causing her to bleed and foam from the mouth. The other women tried to stop him and remove him from the house. One witness told Gardaí: “Jamie started mouthing off, trying to start with someone. I’ve never seen a boy so crazy.”
Witnesses spoke of seeing Meredith pulling the woman by her hair and kicking her while she lay on the ground.
Emergency services were called and attended the scene. The victim was brought to University Hospital Waterford (UHW) for urgent treatment.
Gardaí arrested Meredith near the scene. At 11.20am that morning, he was deemed fit for questioning. In interviews, he said he had ‘hit her a dig’. He said: “When I finished with her she wasn’t unconscious. I never meant to hit her with glass, they were saying horrible things to me.”
Defence Counsel Brian P. O’Shea BL, told the Court that his client cooperated with Gardaí, had no previous convictions and that the attack was ‘out of character’ and occurred after Merdith drank vodka for the first time. Mr O’Shea stated that his client wouldn’t be able to punch a larger man as: “It would be fair to say he is somewhat effeminate.” The Court heard that Meredith had a father in prison and suffers from ADHD.
Judge Eugene O’Kelly gave Meredith a headline sentence of three years, reduced by nine months in mitigation. The sentence was then fully suspended.
