Two people have been sentenced to prison following a disturbance during a country fair in 2018 during which a woman was assaulted.

Craig Doyle, 21, from Clonakilleg, Mount Talbot in Roscommon, and his partner Anika Killeen, 31 from Ballinheglish, both pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman at the horse fair in Athleague on 4 June 2018.

Doyle was given a two-month prison sentence, while Killeen was given a three-month sentence at Roscommon District Court.

Killeen had also pleaded guilty to cruelly and excessively beating a horse during the same incident and the court heard she paid €400 to a local animal charity in compensation.

Judge James Faughnan said "these people ran amok" through a public fair, and after taking the reports before the court into account, sentenced them to jail.

"A child could have stumbled across in front of them. I will not tolerate that," he said, when asked whether he would impose a suspended sentence.

Community service was not appropriate in the circumstances, he added, "nothing but a custodial sentence" was warranted.

The couple lodged an appeal and were released on bail pending that appeal.

The court heard that during the fair, Doyle and Killeen, along with a third person - 25-year-old Dayna Killeen - were on a horse and cart owned by the Killeen family.

Anika Killeen had the reins and Doyle was sitting beside her.

Garda Owen Crehan told the court that they drove the cart through the fair in a manner described by witnesses as "reckless and dangerous".

Garda Crehan said there were elderly people and children present at the time.

The court heard that Hollie Peggs was assaulted by the couple until her partner intervened and pulled them off her.

Garda Crehan said there appeared to be no motive for the assault and the victim did not know why she was attacked.

Dayna Killeen, with an address Ballinaheglish, was also due in court in relation to the incident, but was unable to attend due to medical issues and her case was adjourned until next month.