Corkman offers €3k for dental bill of robbery victim

The court heard the accused lay in wait for a victim walking past a garage and struck him with a hiking stick

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that that  Colin Costello was intoxicated on the night and had substance abuse issues. File photo: Dan Linehan

A man who lay in wait for a victim walking past a garage late at night and he struck him with a hiking stick has come up with €3,000 towards his dental bill.

Colin Costello had been remanded in custody for the past week pending sentence for his part in the random attack on a passing stranger.

Prosecution barrister Donal O’Sullivan said at Cork District Court that the accused had come up with €3,000 towards compensation. The victim was left with a €10,000 dental bill after the attack.

Defence barrister Dermot Sheehan it was unlikely that anyone else involved in the assault would ever come up with compensation. Mr Sheehan said Colin Costello was keen to come up with more compensation if given the opportunity.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin released him from custody and put sentencing back until September 29 to see if more compensation could be gathered.

Colin Costello pleaded guilty to his part in the robbery and the related charge of carrying a weapon at the time.

Mr Sheehan barrister said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that Costello was intoxicated on the night and had substance abuse issues. He had no previous convictions.

Judge Ó Donnabháin noted that the victim was left to wonder why he was targeted for this attack and robbery.

Detective Garda Lorna Healy said the victim was not targeted in particular but the accused was in effect waiting for the next person who would pass by.

The detective said it happened on December 7, 2019, when the injured party was walking past the Maxol in Ballyphehane.

Garda Lorna Healy charged Colin Costello, 23, with an address at 83 Fr Dominic Road, Ballyphehane, Cork, with his part in carrying out a robbery of the young man of a phone and wallet in the violent attack on Pouladuff Road in Cork on December 7, 2019.

Costello replied: “I am sorry”, to the charge when cautioned.

Det. Garda Healy said the crime was unprovoked and there was some element of pre-planning.