TWO YEARS FOR ‘SAVAGE’ ASSAULT

VICTIM SUFFERED PERMANENT SCARRING, AND DAMAGE TO TEETH

A MILLTOWN man has been jailed for two years for an “unprovoked” assault, during which he caused more than €8,000 damage to the victim’s teeth while collecting an alleged drug debt.

Dylan Scannell with an address at 8 Laurel Avenue, Milltown, was charged with assault causing harm and two charges of producing a weapon arising out of the incident which occurred at Pike Hill, Ballycasheen, on July 30, 2016.

The court heard that the victim suffered a “subtancial physical and psychological” fallout from the assault, during which Mr Scannell hit him with a golf club.

Tralee Circuit Criminal Court was told last Friday, during sentencing, that the accused Mr Scannell is 22 years old and spent much of his life in care.

He witnessed a gruesome murder at the age of 10, which he has had difficulty trying to cope with.

The court also heard that Mr Scannell was apparently collecting a drug debt when he carried out the assault which was described as “vicious, savage and unprovoked” and caused serious damage.

The court heard that the damage to the victim’s teeth is more than €8,000, and he cannot afford to repair his teeth.

Mr Scannell has 52 previous convictions including some violent offences, and the court heard that this assault was carried out while he was on bail.

The court heard that Mr Scannell had pleaded guilty at an early stage and has not been in trouble since 2016.

Judge Tom O’Donnell sentenced Mr Scannell to three years with 12 months suspended, as well as concurrent 12 months sentence for the production of a weapon.

Mr Scannell was also before the same court sitting for other charges which included the unlawful taking of an MPV and handling stolen property, namely the keys of the car, and drug charges which occurred on March 1 and 2, 2014. Mr Scannell also received a 10-month jail sentence for those charges as well as a five year disqualification.

Mr Scannell also appealed-district court decisions in relation to separate charges in Killarney, including robbery at Tuohills Lane which date back to March 2012.

He received jail for these charges and these sentences will also run alongside his assault sentence.