Community service for assault

A young rugby player who assaulted the 14-year old son of a garda has been ordered to carry out 25 hours' community service in…

A young rugby player who assaulted the 14-year old son of a garda has been ordered to carry out 25 hours' community service in lieu of three months' imprisonment.

Rudi Vij (18), of Glencairn Park, The Gallops, Sandyford, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting John Peters causing him harm on October 25th, 2004.

Garda Patrick Collen said that following the assault on her son, Rose Peters told another garda it might have occurred as a result of her and her husband, Garda Jack Peters, throwing pebbles at the window of the house they rented to Vij's parents.

Judge Katherine Delahunt said: "The parents might hang their heads in shame for involving their children in this dispute."

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Judge Delahunt said Vij was "a young man with a lot to contribute" and imposed a community service order of 25 hours in lieu of three months' imprisonment.

Garda Collen said gardaí had been called to the address two days before this incident when the Vij family had been disturbed in the night by their doorbell ringing, stones and eggs being thrown at their house and lighted fireworks being pushed through their letter box. He said John Peters, his 13-year-old brother and a friend bought Halloween masks and sat on the front wall of the Vij residence.

Vij, who had been inside the house with his father and siblings, came running out with a hockey stick and chased the two other boys. He then attacked John Peters with the stick, hitting him on the shoulder and back and punching him in the face.

The boys had an egg with them which they told gardaí they had been just going to throw against any wall for fun. Vij told gardaí the boys had been behaving in a threatening manner and looked like they were about to throw something at his house.

Garda Collen said John Peters rang gardaí from his mobile and ran to a neighbouring house for help. The neighbour was reluctant to become involved as she had a newborn baby in the house but eventually let John Peters in. She heard Vij shouting: "If you come near my f***ing house again, I will kill you."

Solicitor Justin McQuade, defending, said Vij had acted to protect his family, who had been the victims of "low-level harassment and threats".