Man punched Simon worker in the eye

A member of staff at Cork Simon Community was punched in the eye by a man who had been refused admission to the shelter.

Kiall Duggan, aged 26, shouted at the height of the incident: “I am going to box the head off you for letting drug users in and not me.”

Duggan had been seen shouting from the road outside Simon on Anderson’s Quay at a woman inside the premises before the assault occurred.

Simon staff member Philip O’Brien was on duty on February 17 at Simon and was dealing with two residents at the door when Duggan punched him once with a closed fist in the left eye, causing him a minor injury and some pain.

Judge Leo Malone imposed a four-month jail sentence on Duggan at Cork District Court for the assault and a 15-day concurrent sentence, in default of a fine, on a related charge of engaging in threatening behaviour.

Duggan had pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr O’Brien.

Eddie Burke, defending, said the accused apologised unreservedly to Mr O’Brien, particularly as he had benefited from the support of Simon in the past.

Duggan’s address on the summonses was at Pine Valley, Ballyvolane, but the court heard he was homeless at the time of the offence.