Dispute over rent turned violent

A SQUABBLE between housemates about rent spilled over outside a supermarket as two men attacked a third while he loaded shopping into his car.

Father and son Wieslaw and Jakub Kowalkowski both pleaded guilty at Cork District Court yesterday to the same charge of assaulting Marcin Banaszuk at the Lidl car park in Togher, Cork.

Inspector Michael McGuire said that, on April 1, 2010, the injured party was at the supermarket with his wife. As he was putting shopping into his car he was set upon first by Wieslaw Kowalkowski, aged 47, of 5 Beach Walk, Crann Ard, Fermoy, Co Cork.

“The older man grabbed Mr Banaszuk by the throat and hit him a few punches in the face,” said Insp McGuire.

“He was followed by his son, who joined in the assault. The injured party suffered bruises and cuts to his face and had to have a tetanus injection because of the cuts.

“They were renting a property together and there was a falling-out over a falling behind in the payment of rent. The injured party owed them money.”

Gerard Hanley, defence solicitor, said: “There was a squabble over rent; there was no indication of any serious harm suffered by the injured party.”

Judge Leo Malone noted that Wieslaw Kowalkowski and Jakub Kowalkowski, aged 22, of the same address in Fermoy, had no previous convictions.

He said if they each paid €400 to charity within three months he would dismiss the charges. If the contributions were not made he would convict them and impose penalties over €400.