Motorist kicked in head by man trying to rob phone

A young motorist who was about to get out of his car in the early evening in Cork City was kicked repeatedly in the head by a man trying to rob his phone.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said yesterday: “This is a type of offence that is all too common in the city and it must be deterred.

“No matter how common it is, it is not normally married to this level of gratuitous violence. Normally there is a jostling around and the violence is not as great.

“The gratuitous beating of an innocent person punched and kicked at 7 o’clock in the evening is an offence very much at the higher end of the scale.

“The only thing this lad [the defendant] has going for him is his plea of guilty. Without his plea, a sentence of six years would be merited. There has to be a significant sentence.”

Judge Ó Donnabháin imposed a five-year sentence, with the last two years, suspended on Darren Keenan, aged 20, of 15 St Bridget’s Rd, Gurranabraher, Cork, on the charge of attempted robbery.

Sergeant Kieran O’Sullivan told the court: “On the night in question, the injured party was parking his car at Friar St. He was attempting to get out of his car with his phone in his hand.

“Darren Keenan grabbed the phone from his hand. He also punched the injured party in the face. The injured party attempted to get back his phone and managed to do so. But Keenan took the keys of his car.

“During the attack Mr Keenan punched him a couple of times in the face. He also gave him a violent kick in the face.

“He was kicked a number of times in the face as he attempted to get his property back.”

Sgt O’Sullivan added: “Members of the public passing at the time witnessed this.

“A doctor [and others] came to his assistance. Mr Keenan and a number of other youths left the area.”

Keenan had 13 previous convictions, mainly for public order offences.