Care salesman denies assaulting customer

A jury has been told that a car salesman assaulted a client who returned a car he had bought and then directed the bank to stop the €23,750 repayment cheque.

Shane Lyons (aged 37), of Three Rock Grove, Rathfarnham has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stopping the cheque on a date between May 18 and May 27, 2005.

He also denies assaulting Mr Brian Stewart on May 18, 2005 at L&L Autos, Cookstown, Tallaght.

Ms Fiona Murphy BL, prosecuting, told the jury that Mr Stewart would say he had seen an advertisement in February 2005 for a BMW Coupe in the paper and contacted L&L motors to buy it.

Mr Stewart would say it was agreed that any faults in the car would be put right before purchase but on bringing the car home he discovered various faults that needed to be fixed.

Ms Murphy said that by May 2005 he had decided to return the car and rang L&L Motors where he spoke to the accused’s brother, Stephen Lyons, who agreed to give him his money back.

He brought the car to L&L and was met by Stephen Lyons who returned to the building after a row developed and was followed by Mr Stewart who would tell how the accused walked in and asked him why he was "causing all this trouble".

Ms Murphy said Mr Stewart would say that the accused then grabbed him by the throat, pushed him up against a wall and threatened him.

Ms Murphy said the gardaí were called and Stephen Lyons agreed to give Mr Stewart his cheque but about a week later he received a phone call from his bank to say the cheque had been stopped.

The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury of eight men and four women.