An Irish actor will be jailed for three years in the New Year for an assault on a victim who developed a blood clot on his brain and later died.

Darren Healy (29), of The Cottage, Killegar, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty last year to assaulting Philip Bryan causing him harm at Eamonn Dorans pub in Temple Bar on June 10, 2005.

Judge Patricia Ryan heard that doctors had not been able to establish if the blood clot had been caused by Healy's assault on Mr Bryan or by his subsequent fall to the ground when he hit his head on a step.

Judge Ryan extended her sympathies to the Bryan family on their loss. She imposed a four-year sentence on Healy and suspended the final year.

Judge Ryan consented to an application by defence counsel to postpone the commencement of the sentence until January 20, 2008. She ordered Healy to present himself at Pearse Street garda station on that day.

Judge Ryan noted that Healy had taken steps to rehabilitate his "chaotic lifestyle" and had paid over €5,000 compensation as a "practical expression of his remorse".

Healy has appeared in such TV series as 'The Clinic', 'Love Is the Drug', 'Proof', and 'On Home Ground' as well as bit parts in films such as 'Layer Cake', 'Dead Bodies', 'The General', and 'Bloody Sunday'.

Detective Garda Paul Murphy told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that Healy was standing on stools in Eamonn Dorans squirting bottles of "alcopop" over friends when Mr Bryan went over and appeared to try to calm him down.

A witness described turning away from the men and then hearing a smack before she turned back around and saw Healy punch Mr Bryan twice in the face. Mr Bryan then fell to the ground, hitting his head.

He was taken to hospital for treatment but discharged himself and returned home. He was rushed back to hospital the following day and treated for a blood clot on his brain after his mother found him unconscious.

Det Garda Murphy said Healy contacted gardai at Pearse Street and voluntarily made a statement. He had eight previous convictions for public order offences.