Kitchen banter leads to fine for chef who punched colleague a dozen times

The Defence solicitor said a comment about his client's fiancée "was close to the edge"

Thu, 28 Jan, 2021 - 22:00

Liam Heylin

A Spanish chef engaged in kitchen banter took offence at a Polish colleague’s comment about his fiancée and punched him 10 to 15 times in the head.

27-year-old Klaudjo Alushaj of St Lucia Place, Passage West, was never in trouble of any kind before this incident, but now at Cork District Court he has pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing harm to Michal Zabinski on July 15, 2020.

Judge Olann Kelleher convicted and fined him €750 for the assault.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the incident occurred at Barry’s in Douglas last July.

The injured party and the defendant were in the kitchen when they began to engage in conversation that had a sexual content. The injured party, Mr Zabinski, made some comment about the defendant’s fiancée.

Mr Alushaj responded by punching Mr Zabinski on the nose.

“The injured party said he was punched 10 to 15 times in the head and he had bruising after it,” Sgt Davis said.

Defence solicitor Frank Buttimer said the defendant was a young man in good standing in his employment but lost his job following this incident.

Mr Buttimer said that before the assault there was banter between the parties.

On one reading of it the banter was amusing but the injured party made a comment to my client which involved saying something about his fiancée which was probably banter as well but was close to the edge.

"He struck the injured party as a consequence. This man lost his temper which he should not have done.

“Unfortunately, the two men fell out as a result. My client did lose his employment because he stepped over the bounds.

“He is with his fiancée in court. He secured employment elsewhere since but this is not currently available to him because of Covid.

“He gathered €1,000, which is a considerable sum for him, as a gesture of apology,” Mr Buttimer said.