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Dublin takeaway owner (74) slapped worker in face during ‘heated’ kitchen row

Stephen Shum pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the worker at Manori Sushi and Noodle Box takeaway, Weatherwell Industrial Estate, Clondalkin.

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A restaurant owner slapped a worker repeatedly in the face, injuring him, when the pair got into a row amid “tensions in the kitchen”.

Stephen Shum (74) attacked the kitchen porter, who he claimed was cutting chicken when he should not have been, a court heard.

Judge David McHugh put him on a one-year peace bond after he paid €500 compensation.

Shum, a father of seven of Coolmine Court, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the worker at Manori Sushi and Noodle Box takeaway, Weatherwell Industrial Estate, Clondalkin.

Garda Sergeant Maria Callaghan told Blanchardstown District Court the accused and victim were at work in the kitchen on January 30 this year when a dispute arose over the victim’s role.

“Emotions got heated” and insults were exchanged.

It escalated, Shum grabbed the victim aggressively by the arms and a tussle broke out between them.

The victim received “numerous slaps” to his face, causing minor soft-tissue injury to his cheek and leaving ringing in his ear. He attended a hospital emergency department.

The DPP consented to the case being dealt with at district court level and the judge accepted jurisdiction.

There had been “ongoing tensions” in the kitchen between employees and management before the incident, Shum’s lawyer said.

Shum had returned from a delivery and saw the victim working in the kitchen “when he was supposed to be off”, the lawyer said.

The worker was not wearing a uniform and was “cutting chicken when he shouldn’t have been” because he was a kitchen porter.

Judge McHugh said he did not want to hear any impugning of the victim’s character.

Shum was extremely regretful and would not come before the court again, the lawyer said.

Due to the tensions, he had since sold the restaurant and bought another.

He came to Ireland from Hong Kong in 1974.