A 33-year-old garda has been given two suspended sentences for periods of six and three months for assaulting two women in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, in March 2016.

Judge Elizabeth McGrath said the assault on one of the victims, Emer Kelly, was serious and that his response to events that night was to raise his fist and punch her. She said she could not ignore that.

An appeal had been made to the judge for leniency and to take into account his previous good character and that he was a good family man and colleague, but that he had suffered a horrific attack in New Orleans the year before which gave him a heightened sense of tension and awareness around him.

Judge McGrath said custodial sentences were appropriate but she would suspend them given he had no previous convictions.

Recognisances were fixed on his own surety of €1,000 in the event of an appeal.

The Garda Press Office would not confirm if Garda Hanrahan has been suspended because of his conviction.

They say they do not comment on internal garda disciplinary matters.