By Balazs Koranyi
A man who assaulted a delivery driver who later transpired to be his former schoolmate has been jailed for 18 months.
Matthew Grogan (22) of Bramley Terrace, Applewood Village, Swords, Co Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Applewood Square, Swords, on October 25th, 2019.
Detective Garda Karen Duffy told Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that on the date in October, Nikita Olijniks was on his way to make his final delivery while driving in a car with his girlfriend.
Det Gda Duffy said Mr Olijniks got out of the car to make the delivery and was walking towards the address when he heard his girlfriend screaming. He turned to see Grogan in the driver seat of the car, another person also in the car and a third person acting as a lookout.
Mr Olijniks threw the delivery at one of the culprits, opened the driver-side door and punched Grogan two or three times in the face. Mr Olijniks was hit in the back of the head by another person and fell to the ground.
The court heard that the person who had ordered the delivery saw Mr Olijniks being kicked in the head by Grogan.
After his arrest Grogan told gardaí that he knew Mr Olijniks as they had attended the same school and asked them to convey his apologises. He said he only realised he knew the injured party after the assault.
Patrick Jackson BL, defending, said his client did not intend to use violence on the night in October and did not expect the victim's girlfriend to be in the car.
Counsel said that at the age of 16 his client discovered that his father was serving a life sentence in prison and that he had siblings of whom he had been previously unaware. He said it was around this time that Grogan commenced using drugs.
He has 42 previous convictions, including convictions for robbery, burglary and theft.
Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced Grogan to two and half years in prison with the final 12 months suspended on condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 18 months.
