Chased acquaintance and punched him

A 20-years-old Strathfoyle man who punched an acquaintance several times after chasing him from a flat in the Strand Road area earlier this year, will be conditionally discharged in a year provided he doesn't come to the attention of Derry Magistrate's Court again within that time.

David Dillon, of Otter Park, admitted assaulting the man on April 13. A Public Prosecution Service (PPS) solicitor told Derry Magistrate’s Court how at approximately 5.40pm that day police received a report of an assault having occurred in the Clarendon Street and Strand Road area.

The court heard the report was made by the city centre CCTV system operators and that footage had picked up a man wearing an Adidas jumper throwing several punches at the injured party.

When Dillon was interviewed later that day he fully admitted being involved in a fight with the man, the PPS solicitor told the court. Dillon was also shown the CCTV footage at a later date and again admitted assaulting the man. A defence solicitor told the court that Dillon and the injured party were known to one another and that the injured party had been intoxicated and kicking the door of the defendant’s flat on the day of the assault.

Dillon successfully removed the injured party from the building before chasing him down the street and punching him. District Judge Barney McElholm, taking account of the man’s early guilty plea, said Dillon would be conditionally discharged in 12 months if there was not further offending.