10 months for assault on 101 Steps
‘My advice to you is stay in and get the treatment. This can’t go on forever.’
A student on his way home from school was punched and robbed of his mobile phone, the district court has heard.
Before Judge Coughlan was Lee Buchan (21), 50 The Green, Tredagh View, who pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, robbery and possession of a knife, arising out of the incident which occurred at the 101 Steps on 3 February, 2017.
At 3.15pm the victim was confronted by two men as he walked home from school. He was punched on the nose by Buchan and handed over his phone to the other male.
The defendant had a 5-inch penknife. A letter from the injured party was handed into court.
Solicitor Paddy Goodwin said the district court previously accepted jurisdiction in the case, and his client was remanded in custody a week ago by consent.
Buchan accepted he will get a sentence but Mr Goodwin asked for one less than the eleven months the judge had indicated.
The solicitor admitted the letter from the schoolboy ‘doesn’t make good reading’.
There is a large accumulation of charges before the court. His client got some treatment in Cloverhill. All his problems are drug-related.
Judge Coughlan imposed a ten-month sentence for assault causing harm, taking all other charges into account.
He asked that Buchan get any appropriate drug treatment while in custody.
‘My advice to you is stay in and get the treatment. This can’t go on forever,’ the judge added.