A 23-year-old man from Dundalk has been jailed for three years after being convicted of striking another man with a pick-axe at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court.
Martin Smith, from Ashling Park in Cox’s Demesne, admitted five offences including assault, criminal damage and obstructing a garda on March 24th 2013.
Mr Smith also exposed himself to a female garda in the incident, which occurred shortly after he was released from prison for a robbery in which he had threatened a woman with a Samurai sword.
Smith apologised for his actions in court and said he had undertaken anger management and relapse prevention courses to help turn his life around.
The incident occurred when a dispute broke out between Mr Smith and another man on the street in Cox’s Demesne. Smith then assault his victim with a pick-axe handle he had with him with the victim suffering multiple injuries including a broken arm in three places, a broken jaw and chin and a fractured eye socket.
As well as losing a number of teeth, the victim was left with a clot behind his eye that has affected his vision.
Smith also admitted in court to a more minor assault on a neighbour who had seen him strike the injured man as he lay on the ground.
After exposing himself to a female garda who had arrived at the scene, Mr Smith also smashed windows of a patrol car and another vehicle nearby. He also admitted to obstructing a garda who responded to the incident.
Smith was given three years for assault causing harm, four months for the minor assault on a neighbour, four months for obstructing gardaí, 12 months for smashing the patrol car window and 18 months for damaging windows on another vehicle. Each of these sentences are to run concurrently.
Source: The Irish Times.
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