A man who trains horses for some of the top breeders in the country has pleaded guilty to a vicious attack on a woman in Raphoe.
Jonathan Porter, who is originally from Lifford, threw the defenceless woman over a wooden fence at Meadowhill before kicking her twice in the stomach and then punching her in the face.
And Mrs Marian McConnell’s only crime was that she complained about Porter and two other men making noise outside her home.
Father of one Porter, who is now 27, pleaded guilty to a Section 3 assault on Mrs McConnell and her husband Neil.
Letterkenny Circuit Court heard how Mr McConnell was watching television with his wife when he heard a noise outside just after midnight.
He saw three males outside and when he went to the front gate of his house, he was set upon by at least two of the men.
One of the men kicked him in the privates while Porter then punched him in the head.
Both men took turns to swig on a bottle of whiskey while they assaulted Mr McConnell.
When Mrs McConnell emerged from her house, Porter launched a vicious attack on her.
After assaulting her her said to her “Get back or you’ll get the same.”
The men fled when the third men said the Gardai were coming.
Porter’s barrister Ms Fiona Crawford said her client admitted that he was a drunken mess on the night and was ashamed of what had happened.
He had been shunned by his family and his mother did not speak to him for several months after the horrific attack.
She said however that since the incident four years ago, Porter had moved away and was not heavily involved in the training of horses at a high level.
He worked on a number of stud farms and broke horses for a number of top horse owners including Prince Khalid bin Abdullah of Saudi Arabia of Juddmonte Farms.
He was now living in Kilmacourt Woods in Portarlington, Co Laois and has a partner and young daughter.
Judge Martin Nolan called the attack as vicious and said there was no question Mr and Mrs McConnell suffered serious injuries.
Judge Nolan said he wanted to remand the accused man in custody until next Tuesday when he will pass sentence.