Man jailed for eight months after assaulting drag queen on Cork city streetMartin Ekhosuehi was already serving a lengthy sentence when he was jailed for the separate Cork city centre assault Fri, 04 Sep, 2026 – 16:54Liam Heylin
An assault on a drag queen in Cork city centre that was widely shared on a social media video has resulted in an eight-month jail sentence for the man who carried out the crime.
Martin Ekhosuehi, 24, of Willow Gardens, Brooklodge, Glanmire, was sentenced by Judge David Waters at Cork District Court on the charge of assault causing harm on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork, on October 26, 2025.
Sergeant John Dineen outlined the background to the incident: “Garda Steven O’ Sullivan responded to a report of an alleged assault having occurred on Oliver Plunkett St, Cork. On arrival to the scene Garda O’Sullivan spoke to the injured party who informed him that he had been assaulted by a man he described.
“The injured party had a cut on his chin which was bleeding and he supplied Garda O’Sullivan with photographs and videos of the suspect.
“The injured party had been recording a video after midnight. It is alleged that the defendant and others were laughing at him and that he went over and spoke to Mr Ekhosuehi who punched him once.
“A short while later Garda O’Sullivan observed a male on Oliver Plunkett Street matching the description of the male in the videos and photographs. Garda O’Sullivan approached this male and established his identity as Martin Ekhosuehl.
“Garda O’Sullivan arrested Martin Ekhosuehi at 6 Willow Gardens, Brooklodge, Glanmire, Cork, on suspicion of assault causing harm, contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against The Person Act.”
Judge David Waters viewed photographs at Cork District Court of the complainant’s face after the incident.
Sentencing had been adjourned to allow for the injured party to be given an option of preparing a victim impact statement. None was forthcoming as numerous efforts were made to contact the injured party for this purpose but to no avail.
Previous offences
Earlier this year, the same defendant was sentenced to 11 years with the last two years suspended at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in a case where two students were threatened by Martin Ekhosuehi and another man armed with a knife and screwdriver that their fingers would be chopped off if they did not hand over cash and drugs.
Denying charges of aggravated burglary at Highfield Avenue, College Road, Cork, two counts of assault causing harm and two more of making threats to kill or cause serious injury, the accused was put on trial by judge and jury on those counts at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
In the present case before Cork District Court, Sergeant Dineen suggested that the eight-month sentence should be consecutive to the nine years because it was committed while on bail for the more serious charges at the time.
Judge Waters did not accede to this and made the eight months concurrent with the longer sentence being served.
The defendant’s other convictions included three for having drugs for his own use, one for drug-dealing, one for money-laundering, two for possession of knives and one for production of an article in the course of a dispute.
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