A FORMER asset recovery agent who inflicted serious bodily injuries on a man who was in arrears to ACCBank for the hire purchase of a five-year-old van was given a suspended three-month sentence by a District Court judge.
Judge Mary Devins remarked before sentencing how suddenly people in suits could get involved in what could only be described as thuggery. Those people should be much more responsible when lending money to people, the judge said.
Aidan Faulkner (52), Crow’s Nest, Castlecohill, Clogherhead, Co Louth, was fined €500 by Judge Devins at a sitting of Castlebar District Court and was ordered to pay €500 compensation to his victim, Patrick Ruane of Straide, Foxford, Co Mayo.
In April 2010, at the time of the incidents, Faulkner was working as an asset recovery agent for Auto Trace Solutions.
The company has since gone into liquidation.
An earlier court sitting was told that Mr Ruane had been “terrorised” by the actions of Faulkner, who headbutted him, leaving him with a broken nose, a split lip and damaged teeth. The incidents were captured on a CCTV system that Mr Ruane had installed on his farm buildings.
Mr Ruane had told Faulkner to get off his property 50 times.
Mr Ruane admitted missing the last three repayments on the hire purchase agreement he had to buy the Toyota Hiace van. The total loan was €17,900.
At an earlier court sitting, Mr Ruane told Judge Devins: “He [Faulkner] had me frightened. This bully was there for two hours frightening the life out of me. It was the most terrifying incident that ever happened to me.”
In court yesterday, Mr Ruane strongly criticised ACCBank, stating “they have no right to do what they do”.
He said bank personnel had been “very nice” when lending him money and he did not think he would end up meeting people like the accused.
Pleading for leniency, Myles Gilvarry, Faulkner’s solicitor, said his client’s financial situation was very poor. He had been off sick and was on disability benefit for two years. He was suffering from depression and was living on €188 a week.