Warrant for arrest of man who carried out unprovoked attack

A WARRANT was issued at the District Court for the arrest of a man who carried out an unprovoked assault in a Wexford Town street

Proceedings went ahead before Judge Brian O’Shea against 39-year-old Derek Duggan of Flat 2, Pembroke House, Abbey Street, Wexford

Injured party Ronan Morris was sworn in to give his evidence after barrister Jordan Fletcher confirmed that he had been unable to contact the absent defendant as he appeared to have switched off his mobile phone.Morris, who resides in the George’s Street area, recalled how he was in the fruit and vegetable section of Dunnes Stores Redmond Square branch on February 2.

Someone who turned out to be Duggan – came up behind him and called him a ‘puff ’.

After passing through the checkout area and leaving the shop, the complainant appeared to follow him outside.

Morris said to Duggan: ‘Would you not grow up’ and then found himself punched and punched again.

His glasses were damaged by the assault and he ended up searching on the ground for a lens which had been dislodged from the frame.

He told the court that he had no intention of fighting back, recalling that he felt powerless and shocked.

His face felt sore for a few days as a result of the blows he received.

He described his assailant as stocky, with shaved head, and said the same individual called him a ‘faggot’ on a previous occasion.

CCTV footage of what occurred, which assisted in the identification of the culprit by Garda Paul Doyle, was available to the court but it was not viewed.

Judge O’Shea proceeded to find the facts proven against Duggan without requiring the visual evidence.

Inspector Graham Rowley stressed that the offence was unprovoked and ‘came out of nowhere’.

The arrest warrant was issued in a bid to bring the offender to court for sentencing.