Men appear in court over fight at IPAS centre
Birchwood House, Ballytruckle Road.
Men appeared at Waterford Courthouse last week in relation to an incident that occurred at an International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre in the city.
It was alleged that a man residing at Birchwood House, Ballytruckle Road, Waterford city, attacked another man after he made disparaging comments towards women in the house.
After hearing evidence relating to a charge of assault causing harm contrary to Section 3 (1) and Section 3 (2) of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, and viewing CCTV footage, Judge Paula Murphy described the matter as a “difficult case”.
CCTV footage showed a group of men sitting at a table in the kitchen/canteen area of the house.
A separate group of individuals were gathered behind a counter in the same room.
One of the men, who was sat at the table, got up and approached a man behind the counter.
Following an exchange of words, the men ended up in a physical fight.
The accused placed the complainant in a headlock, whilst others attempted to break up the fight.
The complainant and the accused both gave evidence during the court session last week.
The complainant claimed that the accused made a derogatory comment, comparing women to meat.
The complainant said he confronted the accused after he made the comment, and a brawl broke out.
He says that the accused then placed him in a headlock and headbutted him.
The accused, however, provided a differing recollection of events.
He claimed that whilst on the phone, he was referring to Irish halal meat being cheaper than halal meat in the Middle East. He said he made no derogatory comparisons between meat and women.
Solicitor for the accused, Hilary Delahunty, said that the complainant merely interpreted the comments to be about women.
The accused said he placed the complainant in a headlock in self-defence after the complainant made derogatory remarks about his family members.
“I was defending myself, my family and my country,” the accused told Gardaí.
Judge Murphy said there was a heated exchange between both parties.
She cast doubt over whether the reaction was excessive, and in those circumstances, she dismissed the case.
