Dave Mahon Expresses Regret Over Headbutting Incident, Maintains He Is Not a Violent Man

Carrick-on-Shannon: Convicted killer Dave Mahon has expressed regret over headbutting a 73-year-old pensioner, stating that he was not in the right "headspace" at the time. In his first interview since being acquitted of assault causing harm to his neighbor, Jim Fahy, during a 2021 barbeque, Mahon insisted he is not a violent person.

Mahon, who previously served a prison sentence for the manslaughter of his stepson, Dean Fitzpatrick, and is the stepfather of missing Irish teenager Amy Fitzpatrick, denied any suggestion that he "got away" with the assault. The Carrick-on-Shannon Circuit Court had heard that Mr. Fahy sustained two swollen black eyes in the altercation, which Mahon claimed was an act of self-defense.

"Absolutely not," Mahon stated when asked if he considered himself a violent man. "I think you know my personality by now."

Legal Proceedings and Public Perception

When questioned about public perception—whether he was seen as someone who had escaped justice or as one of the unluckiest individuals in Ireland—Mahon pushed back against the notion that he had evaded accountability.

"An argument at a barbeque that I didn’t start, and people think I got away with it?" he remarked. "I don’t call living on your nerves for three and a half years, attending court 22 times, and dealing with the stress on myself, Audrey, and my family ‘getting away’ with anything." He also acknowledged the strain the case placed on Mr. Fahy.

Mahon, who had been in and out of court since the 2021 incident, pointed out the financial burden on the state, claiming that the repeated proceedings had cost taxpayers over €400,000.

The trial concluded when Judge John Aylmer directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict due to the failure of the alleged victim, Mr. Fahy, and another witness to appear in court despite being issued summonses.

"It’s an estimated cost to the State of over €400,000," Mahon said. "I can already see the headlines: ‘€400,000 for a few sausages at a barbeque.’ It must be the most expensive sausages ever. It’s criminal."

The Incident and Mahon’s Reflection

The court heard that the dispute arose after Mr. Fahy allegedly made derogatory remarks to Mahon’s wife, Audrey. The disagreement escalated when Mahon jokingly suggested they should have gotten McDonald's instead, following multiple failed attempts to start the barbeque. According to Mahon, Mr. Fahy took offense, squared up to him, and struck first.

When questioned about his response—headbutting Mr. Fahy and leaving him with severe bruising—Mahon admitted that he may not have been in the right state of mind.

"I was only out of prison three weeks. Maybe I was still in that mode. I don’t know. I had just come from a place where you always had to watch your back. That’s not an admission of anything, but I had just been struck. He’s not a small man."

Mahon also rejected media portrayals of him as having "battered" a pensioner. "I have no problem with Mr. Fahy, and he has no problem with me."

Case Developments and Verdict

During the trial, Mahon’s defense counsel, Peter Nolan BL, highlighted that Mr. Fahy had informed Gardaí in 2023 that he wished to retract his initial statement and no longer had any issue with Mahon. However, the trial proceeded in his absence, and the jury was presented with extensive evidence, including graphic images of Mr. Fahy’s injuries and details of the bloodied scene.

Initially reluctant to express remorse, Mahon ultimately admitted regret when pressed. "Yes. I regret it. The whole lot of it."