Jail for man who assaulted jogger

Inspector Ronan Kennelly said the injured party initially believed that he had tripped while running and that the man standing over him had come to his assistance.

However, the man standing over him after the fall then punched him in the face.

What the victim did not realise initially, was that Taylor had tripped him before punching him.

Insp Kennelly said it happened at around 1am at traffic lights near St Michael’s Credit Union.

The injured party could not understand why he had been assaulted. As he was running on he fell to the ground. Initially he thought he tripped over something.

“First he thought the man standing over him was offering him help but he struck him once to the side of the head.

“He [the injured party] asked what his problem was and [the defendant] mumbled a reply in which he used the words, ‘black’ and ‘fuck you’,” the inspector said.

Judge Olann Kelleher imposed a five-month jail term on Taylor for the assault and a concurrent two months for the threatening and insulting behaviour.

On the night, the injured party feared he was going to be assaulted further and he managed to get up and run away from his assailant.

Taylor was not arrested on the night but gardaí on duty in the area had seen him a short time earlier and the clothes he was wearing matched with the description by the assault victim.

Eddie Burke, defence solicitor, said the defendant pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and apologised to the injured party.

Imposing the total jail term of five months, the judge said this was an unprovoked assault on a man who was attacked physically and verbally.