A man has avoided jail for attacking a shopkeeper with a paint-roller because he wrongly believed the victim had assaulted his mother.
Jonathan Nolan (22) stopped the attack on Aaron Anglim after cutting his head and told him: "My ma is at home f*****g crying."
He later told gardaí he was upset over what had happened to his mother, because she was “the only person who mattered in his life”.
Nolan, of Landen Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Decies Mini Market, Decies Road, Ballyfermot, on May 13th, 2014.
Judge Melanie Greally suspended a two-and-half year jail term on strict conditions.
She said that Nolan had gone into the shop to “exact some kind of retribution”, but she accepted that he and his mother had since made their peace with the victim and he bears them no “ill will”.
Garda Michael Noctor told Diarmuid Collins BL, prosecuting, that Nolan's mother was in the shop on the date in question and started an altercation with Mr Anglim, who she had confused with someone else.
She slapped him, pushed him and kicked him in the shin before she was asked to leave the premises.
Minutes later, Nolan arrived into the shop armed with a paint-roller that had the plastic cap removed, exposing the metal bar inside.
He then used this bar to stab the victim’s head.
Mr Anglim defended himself using a golf club that had been left behind in the shop by another customer.
Treatment
He was later taken to St James’s Hospital, where he was treated for a 1cm cut just under his hairline. He declined to make a victim impact statement.
Mr Noctor said the incident was caught on CCTV and both Nolan and his mother were identified. Nolan was arrested and made admissions.
Mr Noctor agreed with Tom Neville BL, defending, that his client had brought €500 for the victim as a token of remorse.
Mr Neville said Nolan had since undertaken anger management and both he and his mother have had counselling.
He said that Nolan and his mother had also written letters of apology for the court.