Ballyfermot man thought shopkeeper had assaulted his mother

By Sonya McCLean

A MAN has avoided jail for attacking a shopkeeper with a paint roller because he wrongly believed the victim had just assaulted his mother.

Jonathan Nolan (22) stopped the attack after cutting Aaron Anglim’s head and told him “My Ma is at home f**king crying.”

He later told gardaí in an interview he was upset over what happened to his mother, because she was “the only person who mattered in his life.”

Nolan, of Landen Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Aaron Anglim, causing harm at Decies Mini Market, Decies Road, Ballyfermot on May 13, 2014.

Judge Melanie Greally suspended a two-and-half-year jail term on strict conditions.

She said that Nolan had gone into the shop to “exact some kind of retribution” but accepted that he and his mother had since made their peace with the victim and he bears them no “ill will”.

Garda Michael Noctor told Diarmuid Collins BL, prosecuting, that Nolan’s mother was in the shop earlier and started an altercation with Mr Anglim, whom she had confused with someone else. She slapped him, pushed him and kicked him in the shin before she was asked to leave the premises. 

Minutes later Nolan arrived into the shop armed with a paint roller that had the plastic cap removed , exposing the metal bar inside. He then used this bar to stab the victim’s head.

Mr Anglim defended himself using a golf club that had been left behind in the shop by another customer.

The victim was later taken to St James’s Hospital where he was treated for a one centimetre cut just under his hairline.
He declined to make a victim-impact statement.

Garda Noctor said the incident was caught on CCTV and both Nolan and his mother were identified. Nolan was arrested and made admissions.

Garda Noctor agreed with Tom Neville BL, defending, that his client had €500 as a token of remorse for the victim.

He agreed that both Nolan and his mother had since spoken to the victim and there had been no difficulty with them since.

Mr Neville said Nolan had since undertaken anger management and both he had his mother have had counselling. He and his mother had written letters of apology for the court.

Nolan had completed a personal trainer course and was now studying to be able to open his own gym.