A KICKBOXING TRAINEE has been jailed for leaving an elderly man with a brain injury after kicking him in the head.

Jordan Montgomery (19) launched the single strike attack on Sean Sheehy Snr after the victim’s son jokingly compared a bearded Montgomery to sports star Conor McGregor.

The Sheehys were on their way home from a pub in Sallynoggin, south Dublin when they met Montgomery and two girls.

Detective Garda Colm McGloughlin told Fiona Murphy that Mr Sheehy Jnr said to Montgomery, who was topless and had a cast on his arm, “How’s it going Conor McGregor?”

A verbal row began and Sheehy Jnr told Montgomery, “We just want to go home.”

Sheehy Snr said, “Let’s all go home” and asked Montgomery to go away.

Montgomery then kicked the victim on the side of the head with speed. When gardaí arrived they found the victim lying in a laneway and saw pools of blood.

Montgomery of Oratory Court, Library Road, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Sallynoggin Road on 17 October 2015.

Judge Cormac Quinn said that Montgomery, who has trained in Thai boxing, kicked his victim to the head from a standing position in an unprovoked attack. He said the victim had sustained mild to moderate traumatic brain injury.

His short-term memory and his sleep were both affected. He had also suffered from anxiety since the attack and no longer walked home at night.

Judge Quinn noted that Montgomery had entered an early plea, that the offence was out of character, he was of a young age and had a good work history. Montgomery has not come to any further garda attention and is at low risk of re-offending.

Judge Quinn also noted a letter of apology from Montgomery and that there was €720 in court to be handed over to the injured party.

He imposed a two-year sentence and suspended the final 15 months on strict conditions.