Man robbed passenger in 'violent and unprovoked assault' on a bus in Waterford
Waterford Courthouse.
A teenager has received a suspended sentence for robbing a passenger on a public bus in Waterford.
Aironas Skunsmanas (19) of 187 St John’s Park, Waterford, pleaded guilty to robbery at a sitting of Waterford District Court before Judge Kevin Staunton, in relation to an incident at Upper Grange Road, Waterford, on August 23, 2024.
The court was told that CCTV obtained during the course of the investigation showed the defendant assaulting the injured party and taking his phone.
The judge viewed the CCTV, but it was not played in open court.
Acting for the defendant, solicitor Ken Cunningham confirmed with Detective Garda Sean Lane that the injured party had withdrawn his complaint.
Detective Garda Lane said that he had, but the DPP had instructed that the case be prosecuted on the basis of the CCTV.
Mr Cunningham said that there was a third party involved who is not before the court and “one could read between the lines”.
Detective Garda Lane said that another person was seen outside of the bus and that it is their belief that the defendant may have owed drug money.
Mr Cunningham said his client had no previous convictions, and as the phone, valued at €160 was not recovered, his client had brought €150 in compensation.
Judge Kevin Staunton noted that the defendant is a young man with no previous convictions, but said this was a serious offence where the injured party received several “blows to the head”.
And so warranted a custodial sentence.
“This was a violent, unprovoked assault on a person sitting on his own on a bus,” said Judge Staunton.
The judge sentenced the defendant to six months in prison.
Mr Cunningham asked that the sentence be higher but suspended, “from the point of view of optics”. He said his client had pleaded guilty even though the injured party had withdrawn their complaint.
Judge Staunton pointed out that perhaps he had done so out of fear, to which the solicitor said he did not believe so.
Judge Staunton increased the sentence to nine months but suspended it for 18 months.
