Man assaulted Whyte’s courtesy car driver on way home

The case against a man accused of assaulting the driver of a courtesy car that was taking him home from Whyte’s Pub in Stamullen has been adjourned for a number of weeks.

Paul Mongan, Grace Meadow Avenue, Stamullen is accused of assaulting the driver of the vehicle and another passenger on December 20th, 2015.

The case had previously been adjourned at Drogheda District Court after the judge raised a query in relation to the level of injury sustained. At Tuesday’s sitting the court was told there was no medical report available for either of the victims.

The solicitor for the defence said Mongan is a hardworking man who works with his father, is in a relationship and has a young family.

He said the incident on the night was ‘very much regretted’.

Judge John Coughlan said he would look for compensation to the value of €5,000 for the section three assault and in relation to the section two he said he would accept €1,000 and that he would put the matter back to allow time for payment.

He asked a family representative for the driver of the car on the night if this was sufficient.

However, the father of the victim said he did not believe this was an adequate amount for what had been done.

He said the family, who run Whyte’s Pub in Stamullen, have a courtesy car to leave customers home at the end of the night and Paul Mongan had been travelling in this car when the incident happened.

‘He was being driven home by my son Marcus Battersby when he attacked my son and another customer.’

He said his son had been attacked when he attempted to stop the accused from interfering with the car as he was driving and the other customer had also become a victim when they attempted to intervene.

‘I don’t know what got into that man’s head that night to do what he did. It was a very serious incident,’ he said.

The man said his son didn’t want any money for himself but he believed a very large donation, ‘no less than €50,000’ should be made to charity.

‘What he did was unbelieveable, he attacked Marcus in a big way. He was being brought home safely after a night out when he did what he did putting other people in jeopardy.

‘Marcus is stilled scarred and shocked by what happened and the other lady is also traumatised.

‘We are letting people away with too much these days.

‘ This man has just moved to the area, it’s a lovely pub, there’s never any trouble.’

The judge asked if €25,000 split between the two victims would suffice and the father said he would have to discuss it with them.