Noel Gallagher's Virgin Festival Attacker Avoids Jail

A man who assaulted Oasis member Noel Gallagher while the band was performing in Toronto was sentenced to 12 months of house arrest today.

Danny Sullivan, 48, pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm, according to a report in the Globe and Mail.

The charge stems from an incident during the Virgin Festival in September 2008. Sullivan managed to dodge security to gain access to the stage while Oasis was performing, then rushed toward the guitarist and pushed him into a monitor. Gallagher was left with three broken ribs, and the band was forced to cancel a handful of subsequent concerts and promotional appearances.

Sullivan admitted he was drunk during the incident and couldn't remember how he reached the stage. He's not allowed to drink alcohol for the duration of his sentence.

Gallagher had intended to give a victim impact statement in person prior to Sullivan's sentencing, but a scheduling conflict nixed the idea. The statement, in which Gallagher compared the assault to "being hit by a bus," was read before the court last month.

According to the Globe and Mail, the Crown had requested a sentence of six to eight months in prison, but finding that Sullivan was apologetic for his behaviour and had no prior criminal history, the judge ruled for house arrest in lieu of prison time.

The incident marks a role reversal for the Gallagher brothers -- younger brother Liam has a storied history of attracting controversy, while Noel has largely avoided trouble with the law. Liam was arrested back 1998 for allegedly headbutting a fan who asked for a photograph, and was also detained by police in 2002 after a brawl in a Munich bar that cost him several teeth. Liam is also permanently unwelcome on Cathy Pacific Airways following an instance of air rage that allegedly saw him throw food at other passengers and refuse to put out a cigarette.

Oasis announced their breakup last year after Noel quit the band following an alleged fight between the two brothers. He's currently pursuing a solo career, while Liam continues to work with the rest of the group.