A DINGLE man who headbutted another male "because he was looking at his girlfriend' s backside" has been ordered to pay €850 to the court poor box in his home town if he wishes to escape conviction.

Thomas Lovett, Cooleen, Dingle, appeared before Judge James O'connor at Dingle District Court on Friday charged with assault causing harm to Florence O'brien at An Droichead Beag pub on July 10 of last year. The court heard that Mr O'brien required four stitches to a small cut on his forehead as a result of the headbutt.

"The defendant was on the premises with his girlfriend and took the view that a group which contained the injured party were looking uneasily at his girlfriend," Supt Jim O'connor said. Solicitor Pat Mann said Mr Lovett (26) admitted to gardaíat the scene that he had headbutted Mr O'brien (21) ' because he was looking at his girlfriend's backside.'

Mr Lovett has no previous convictions and Mr Mann handed in a reference he described as 'glowing' from his client's UK employers.

Judge O'connor described the altercation as a 'silly old thing' but said that the seriousness of the charge - assault causing harm contrary to section three of the NonFatal Offences Against the Person Act - warranted a heavy penalty if a conviction was to be waived. He ordered that Mr Lovett pay €850 to the court poor box by September 28 if he wishes to receive the benefit of the Probation Act.

Mr Mann explained that the injured man was not seeking compensation of greater than €70 - the cost of the medical treatment on the night - as Mr O'brien was primarily interested in hearing an 'acknowledgment of wrongdoing' by Mr Lovett.