Two soldiers who took part in a drunken street fight have avoided jail terms that would have led to their automatic discharge from the army.
They were involved in a brawl at the Central Bank Plaza after a night of binge drinking in a city centre night club.
Andrew Gilmore of Gormanstown Army Barracks and Michael Kearney from Strabane, Co. Tyrone stood to attention in the dock after their names were called out this afternoon.
On February 9th 2012, the two men had been drinking heavily in Temple bar.
They left a nightclub after 3am and soon afterwards, a row broke out at the Central Bank Plaza.
Gilmore knocked one man unconscious and assaulted another man and a woman, while Kearney was caught on CCTV kicking one of the victims while he lay on the ground.
Both men pleaded guilty and Judge Martin Nolan was made aware that a prison sentence, even a suspended one or a fine of more than €800 would result in automatic dismissal from the army.
Taking this into account as well as other mitigating factors, Judge Nolan fined Kearney €500 and handed down a deferred sentence to his co-accused.
Their futures are now in the hands of the Irish Defence Forces.
