Derry Court: Student jailed for 'scaring the living daylights' out of his two female housemates

A student at the Ulster University at Magee has been jailed at Derry Magistrate's Court today for 'scaring the living daylights' out of two females he was sharing a house with.

Daniel Ianko (22) with an address in Tralee County Kerry admitted two counts of assault against two females on January 30 and a charge of criminal damage on the same date.

The court earlier heard that police were called to Argyle Terrace to student accommodation where a male was acting aggressively.

They found two females in 'hysterics' who threw a bunch of keys down so police could let themselves into the property.

They found Ianko banging loudly on the bedroom door where the two females were.

The injured parties told police they only knew the defendant a matter of days and earlier in evening he had been 'acting odd' and making sexist remarks towards them and drinking from a bottle of vodka.

When one of the females was in the bathroom Ianko tried to gain entry.

Afterwards the females went to challenge him about that and found him urinating against a wall.

He began' shouting aggressively' towards them and waving his fists about leading the females to believe they were going to be assaulted.

Ianko took his shirt off and wrapped it around his fist and was 'using aggressive and foul language'.

The women locked themselves in a room and called the police.

Damage estimated at £200 was caused by Ianko.

The court heard that Ianko had no record in this jurisdiction but had 33 previous convictions in the Republic.

At today's hearing a defence barrister, Sinead Rogan, said her client wished to waive his right to a pre-sentence report.

She asked the court to allow the defendant to return to his family.

She said that the defendant was going to lose his place at university due to the incident where he had been studying drama.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that these were 'serious matters' and added that the defendant had 'a relevant violent record' and he would prefer to have a pre-sentence report.

However, he said he could not force Ianko to complete a report. 

Ms Rogan said that her client wanted the case dealt with without a report. 

Judge McElholm said that this man had scared the living daylights out of these two girls.

He said something similar had happened with his daughter because 'some English thug had not liked her accent.'

Ianko was jailed for three months and ordered to pay £200 in compensation.

A Restraining Order was also imposed prohibiting the accused coming within 5 miles of Derry City Centre.