A man was involved in a robbery in Dundalk during which his accomplice beat the victim

A man who was involved in a robbery during which his accomplice beat the victim, has been given a two and a half year suspended sentence at Dundalk Circuit Court.

The court heard that 34 year old Leonard Ward with an address at Oldbridge, Toberona, Dundalk had followed a shop assistant, who had locked up for the night.

The victim, who knew the defendant from coming in and out of Costcutters on Clanbrassil Street in Dundalk, had locked up at 11.15pm on November 21st 2019, put his headphones in and began his journey home.

He noticed Leonard Ward was cycling close behind him but had no reason to be alarmed initially.

However, at The Gym on the Avenue Road the defendant knocked him off his bike and he said "Lenny what are you doing?" before he was punched by the accused who said "Don't say my name".

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The court heard gardai who responded to a report of a road traffic collision found a pedestrian lying on the ground surrounded by bystanders.

CCTV showed Ward on the phone before this, and the court heard another man who got out of a small van at the scene, was armed with a wrench and demanded the keys to the shop before he hit the victim up to six times, including once to the head.

This assailant was never identified and Leonard Ward spent six months in custody on the charge.
He had 81 previous convictions.

His barrister said her client had apologised to the victim shortly after the offence and stressed that the other person was more physically aggressive and it was reasonable to conclude that they were the person to benefit from keeping the keys and headphones that were stolen.

The court heard the defendant had €500 in court as a token of his remorse.

The barrister said unfortunately her client had come to the attention quite regularly and was often a nuisance factor in the past but there has been a dramatic turn around and a 'sea change' in his behaviour.

She stressed that this was the last matter before the court and he has not come to garda attention since apart from being intoxicated in a public place in July 2023.

The counsel added that the probation report was positive and a number of letters were handed in about the progress her client has made.

Judge Dara Hayes said an aggravating factor was that it was an attack at night, while the injured party was alone, but he noted having previously been seen as at very high risk of re-offending the defendant was now assessed as being in the moderate risk category.

He imposed a two and a half year sentence which he suspended in full on Mr. Ward entering a bond to be of good behaviour during that period.