A SON and daughter of a prominent publican, who attacked two innocent men at a hotel, have brought “shame” on their family, barristers for the siblings told their sentencing hearing.
Alison Chawke (41), bit one of the men, John McHugh (50s), on his cheek and kicked him in the head, as her brother Bill Chawke (31), wrestled with Mr McHugh on the floor of the hotel, Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard.
The Chawke siblings were intoxicated on the night and also attacked Mr McHugh’s friend, Gerard Cox (50s).
Mr McHugh and Mr Cox were at the resident’s bar at the Dunraven Arms Hotel, Adare, when they were set upon by the Chawke siblings, it was heard.
Bill Chawke and Alison Chawke, son and daughter of well-known pub mogul Charlie Chawke, initially claimed they felt the two men had been staring and smirking at them.
Prosecuting counsel Lily Buckley, instructed by State Solicitor Brendan Gill, assisted by Sergeant Gerry O’Sullivan, Newcastle West Garda Station, said the assault was captured on CCTV at the hotel and via a phone camera belonging to a night manager on duty at the time.
The footage, played in court, showed Alison and Bill Chawke punching and kicking the two men at the bar and the hotel lobby.
Ms Buckley said Bill Chawke demanded he be served food at the bar, despite being told by staff that food was no longer available.
Ms Buckley said the night manager told Gardaí that Bill Chawke “was stubborn and arrogant and asked for food again and again”.
The court heard that Bill Chawke continued ringing the night manager’s phone line asking for food, at which point Mr Cox politely asked him to stop annoying the bar staff.
Ms Buckley said Bill Chawke approached Mr Cox at the bar, spoke to him, and then “lunged” at Mr Cox, “hitting” him.
Other patrons tried to restrain Mr Chawke and Alison Chawke tried to pull her brother away.
Ms Chawke was observed on CCTV kicking and swinging her hands at the two victims and others who were trying to de-escalate the situation.
The footage also showed Ms Chawke walking behind the bar, picking up a pint glass, and throwing it at the men.
Mr Chawke followed Mr Cox out of the bar into the lobby area and was assaulting him on the ground.
Alison Chawke then bit Mr McHugh on his face, and kicked him into the side of his head as he was lying on the ground trying to get Bill Chawke off of Mr Cox, it was heard.
Mr Cox told Gardaí he felt Bill Chawke’s fingers in his eyes after he was thrown to the ground on the hotel lobby.
“I did not do anything to draw such a vicious response,” Mr Cox said.
Mr Cox suffered a swollen eyelid, bruising, a black eye, and pain in his cheekbone.
Mr McHugh suffered a bite to his left cheek, abrasions to his face, forehead, and ear, and soft tissue damage to his neck and shoulders.
Alison Chawke was arrested at the scene for being drunk and disorderly and refusing to give Gardaí her name.
Ms Buckley said Ms Chawke refused to give her name to Gardaí “because she didnt think anyone in the hotel knew who she was, and she did not want her dad to know what had happened”.
Afterwards, the two defendants met Gardaí by appointment and were charged with assault causing harm to the two men.
Alison Chawke, The Beeches, Holywell, Goatstown, Dublin 14, pleaded guilty on a full facts basis to assault causing harm to Mr McHugh, at the Dunraven Arms Hotel, Adare, on November 9, 2023.
Bill Chawke, Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2, admitted on a full facts basis to assault causing harm to Mr Cox at the hotel on the same date.
When Gardaí asked Ms Chawke if she felt justified in kicking Mr McHugh in the head as he lay on the floor of the hotel lobby, Ms Chawke replied “no”.
Bill Chawke told Gardaí he believed the two men were looking at him “in a strange way” at the bar. He said asked them if they “had a problem” before he lashed out at them.
The two defendants had no prior convictions and have not come to Garda attention since, it was heard.
Bill Chawke’s barrister, senior counsel Hugh Hartnett, sought a non-custodial sentence, and suggested a community service order in lieu of a jail sentence would be appropriate.
“My client is in a responsible position in the family business, he comes from a much respected family,” said Mr Hartnett.
Alison Chawke’s barrister, senior counsel Mark Nicholas, told the court Ms Chawke had “no excuses” for her actions on the night.
“What she does is disgraceful, there are kicks, the injuries are unpleasant, she takes full responsibility for them, including the mark on (Mr McHugh’s) face,” said Mr Nicholas.
Mr Nicholas also asked the court not to impose an immediate custodial sentence and suggested that a suspended term was “deterrent enough”.
“She is working in the family business, she is a working mum trying to balance work and children.”
The court heard Bill and Alison Chawke have paid Mr Cox and Mr McHugh €5,000 in compensation without prejudice to civil proceedings taken by the two victims, which are currently before the courts.
The court heard victim impact statements written by the two victims.
Mr Cox said he and Mr McHugh were “subjected to a sudden and violent assault”.
Mr Cox said “fingers were forced” into his eyes and he had feared his vision would be permanently damaged.
He said he was treated for a “suspected fractured eye socket”, suffered “significant bruising and a black eye”, and he felt “embarrassed” to be seen in public with his injuries.
Mr Cox said he suffers with anxiety and feels “unease and distress” in social situations.
Mr McHugh said he was treated by several specialists in the aftermath of the attack and that he suffers daily with jaw pain, tinnitus in his left ear, flashbacks of the attack, as well as sleepless nights.
Mr McHugh said he has attended a psychologist to try to work through the trauma of it all.
Character references on behalf of Bill Chawke were provided to the court including from his father, Charlie Chawke, who said the defendant plays a “significant part” in the running of the family pub business.
Bill Chawke’s father-in-law also provided a reference stating he was a “decent and honorable man”. The reference asked the court for “clemency” and to consider the “impact on the family and its public perception”.
References were also handed in for Bill Chawke from charities he has supported and fundraised for, including Pieta House, Irish Cancer Society, UNICEF, Adare Community Hall, and the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.
Bill Chawke’s barrister said his client’s behaviour on the night was “inexcusable and totally out of character”.
“He has brought embarrassment to his family,” said Mr Hartnett.
References were also provided in respect of Alison Chawke, including from the Vintner’s Federation, Adare Community Hall, as well as her father who stated she is “an important person” in the running of the family’s pub trade.
Ms Chawke’s barrister, Mr Nicholas, said her actions on the night were “utterly unacceptable” and “unspeakable” and she was ashamed of her behaviour and the impact on her family.
Mr Nicolas said the assaults that occurred at the “much loved elegant oasis of style” of the Dunraven Arms Hotel, which has played host to British royalty, presidents, and Hollywood stars, had left a “stain” on the village
“The publicity has been significant – well, you make your bed, and must lie in it,” offered Mr Nicholas.
Judge Fiona O’Sullivan remanded both defendants on bail for sentence on May 11.