This article is from page 18 of the 2008-05-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
A 24-hour Ennis supermarket was forced to temporarily close after a security guard was ‘boxed into the eye’ and his assailant had to be re- strained by customers.
Bartlomiej Konieczko (24), a na- tive of Poland and with an address at Cornmarket Street, Mill Road, En- nis, was brought to court just hours after an incident in the early hours of last Friday.
Garda William Delaney told Ennis District Court that he arrested the ac- cused at 3.15am.
He was charged with assaulting Michal Rudowski, with engaging in threatening, abusive or insult- ing behaviour and with providing a false name and address to gardai, at Dunnes Stores, Ennis.
SW slemcleltbuMm cme) Cem Ner-lmee-NRee-NEAN (one called to Dunnes Stores, where they
spoke to security staff.
“They told me the accused had as- saulted one man on the door,’ said Gda Delaney.
He said gardai were told that the ac- cused had confronted a doorman and threatened him. He was then asked to leave the store.
‘He then hit him a box in the eye. It was captured on CCTV. He had to be restrained by customers,” said the garda. He said the store had to be closed and gardai were called.
‘He again hit out. He had to be re- strained. He threatened the injured party. He said he’d burn his house and kill his family. It was all said in Polish,” said the garda.
Gda Delaney said the accused gave an incorrect name and only after he was charged on Friday morning did he provide his correct details.
Defending solicitor Ted McCarthy said his client has lived in Ireland for
the past three years, two of which have been spent in Ennis.
“All of these events happened last evening under the influence of alco- hol,” he said.
He said that both the accused and injured man were Polish nationals and said there had been a “history of dislike between the two”.
“Ennis is a relatively small place. The Polish community in Ennis would know each other. They never got on. There is animosity between Nees 00 MaancT HIG MnO CemO) beri KOe
However, the garda said the door- man would say he did not know the accused, prior to this incident. The solicitor said his client would un- dertake to stay away from Dunnes Stores, if ordered to do so.
The accused was remanded in cus- tody for a week for gardai to establish if he had any previous convictions in his native country.