A man who glassed a lounge-boy in the face and knocked out his two front teeth has been jailed for 18 months.

Counsel for Silviu Voivod (31) urged Judge Melanie Greally not to send him to jail, arguing Voivod was a first-timer offender with no previous convictions.

“He did a very wrong thing. But he had a blameless life before that and he has had a blameless life since,” Luigi Rea BL told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

“Since this incident occurred he has proved he is indeed a person who is capable of resuming his law-abiding life.”

Judge Greally said a strong element of deterrence was required in the cases of glassings, given the “horrific glassing culture that has emerged in recent years”.

She sentenced Voivod to three years’ imprisonment, but suspended the final 18 months, taking into account his lack of previous convictions and his guilty plea.

Voivod, of Little Pace, Clonee, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Robert McMickan at Dandelion Bar & Nightclub, St Stephen’s Green in Dublin on October 12th, 2014. Una Tighe BL, prosecuting, previously told the court that Mr McMickan was a first-year college student who was working part-time as a lounge boy in the venue.

VIP section

On the night, the victim entered the VIP section of the nightclub when he felt a knock on his shoulder. He turned around to see a woman being “gripped” around the neck by the accused.

He tried to intervene to help her but saw a glass “coming straight for his face.” Voivod then “came at him” with punches to his back, side and head, the court heard.

The victim’s front right tooth was completely knocked out along with half of his left tooth. He also had cuts to his upper lip and his face was scarred, the court heard.

Mr McMickan had to attend the emergency department at Dublin Dental University Hospital to get substitute teeth put in as the nerves were exposed. He later got both teeth replaced and as a result missed two weeks of college.

The court heard that Mr McMickan had been left with scars on his face and felt he was a victim of an “unprovoked attack.” His medical bills were in excess of €5,000.

Counsel for Voivod said he had since become a father to a young son who had a medical condition. His partner had had to leave work as a result of the son’s condition and Voivod was now the family’s sole earner.

Judge Greally accepted Voivod was remorseful but said he struck Mr McMickan “with full force in the face with a glass”.

“As a consequence of his actions, Mr McMickan has lost his two front teeth and has scarring to his face,” she said. “There is a very strong element of deterrence required in relation to this kind of conduct. The consequences of such conduct can be life-altering and severe.”