Grandson, 23, confesses to biting woman on her cheek

A young man confessed yesterday to a charge of breaching a safety order by assaulting his own grandmother in an incident where he held her in a very tight bear-hug and bit her cheek.

The young man had denied the assault when he was first brought to court for the incident which occurred on Wednesday, March 11.

However, Donal Daly, solicitor, said the 23-year-old was pleading guilty to breaching the safety order by assault yesterday.

Garda Keith Shire summarised the case again yesterday for Judge Con O’Leary.

“It was alleged he gave his grandmother a bear-hug which caused her pain and she cried out,” said Mr Daly. “He then proceeded to bite her causing her pain and fear. He accepts all that.”

Inspector Gillian Sinnott said the defendant had previous convictions that included breaching a barring order and assault causing harm.

Mr Daly said the defendant was going to try to organise alternative accommodation so that he would not return to live with his grandmother.

Judge O’Leary remanded him in custody for sentencing on Monday March 16.

The judge asked the victim how things had been in the time prior to the assault.

“All he does is takes drugs and breaks our heart. He is just gone balmy on drugs,” she said.

The defendant spoke up from the dock, saying: “I am off drugs for three months. This was just one break-out. She is lying.”

The judge said he found this exchange instructive as he contemplated a sentence to be imposed on Monday.

At one stage during the bail application on Wednesday, the defendant had to be escorted from the courtroom by gardaí on the instruction of Judge O’Leary because of the defendant’s repeated outbursts.

As he was being removed from the court yesterday afternoon he said to his grandmother: “Fucking liar.”

Garda Keith Shire said the main reason for the objection to bail being granted to the accused was the fear that he would interfere with the witness.

Mr Daly said there had been ups and downs in the relationship between the defendant and his grandmother over the years but this was the first time there was physical harm done to her.

The young man was charged with breaching a safety order by assaulting his grandmother on March 11.