‘panicked’ | 

Man who ‘drove off with person on bonnet of van’ after ‘spitting at woman’ is spared jail

Peter Lynch (52) was involved in a row with his relative’s neighbours in Dublin

Yesterday at 18:15

A man who drove off in his van with another man clinging to the bonnet in the midst of an altercation has given a suspended sentence of 22 months.

Peter Lynch (52) was involved in a row with his relative’s neighbours in Dublin before he “panicked” that someone was trying to block him in with their vehicle, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard at an earlier sentence hearing.

Lynch then drove his van down the road with one neighbour, who had been trying to take a note of his registration number, caught on the bonnet. This man clung to the windscreen wipers with one hand and his phone in the other, the court heard.

Lynch, of Northlands Road, Bettystown, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to one count of assault, one count of producing a pen in the course of a dispute, one count of assault causing harm and one of using threatening and abusive behaviour at Roseglen Avenue, Kilbarrack, Dublin on October 28, 2020.

He has 24 previous convictions, the most recent of which dates back to 2004.

Judge Elma Sheahan said at a previous sentence hearing last year that this was “serious offending”, but there was significant mitigation in Lynch’s favour.

She said the court required “further evidence” of Lynch’s remorse and ordered him to come under the supervision of the Probation Services for the next 12 months. Judge Sheahan said she would finalise the case at that stage.

Today after noting a positive probation report before the court, Judge Sheahan imposed a sentence of 22 months which she suspended in full on strict conditions.

Garda Hazel Johnson told Michael Hourigan BL, prosecuting at the previous hearing, that Lynch was dropping a relative home in Kilbarrack on the day in question when a verbal altercation broke out between that family member and their neighbour.

Lynch did a u-turn and returned to his relative’s home, where he got involved in the altercation. In the course of the row, he pushed a woman over and spat at her.

Another neighbour emerged from his house before Lynch told him to mind his own “fucking business” and swiped a pen at him.

This man called gardaí and was standing in front of Lynch’s van to take down his registration number when Lynch got into his van. Lynch told gardaí another vehicle had come down the road and he was panicking at “all the people shouting at him”, defence counsel said.

He took off down the road some short distance with the man still clinging to his bonnet. Lynch then stopped his van, the man got off the bonnet uninjured and Lynch drove away from the scene.

He was arrested later that night. The incident was captured on both CCTV and phone footage.

David Perry BL, defending, said Lynch accepted he engaged in “unjustified and unacceptable behaviour” on the day in question. “He acknowledges his actions were reckless and impulsive,” Mr Perry said.

He felt his relative had been “unjustly maligned” which caused him to get involved in the row, the court heard.

Mr Perry said Lynch had a difficult childhood and committed crimes in his youth but turned his life around in the last 18 years. He runs two businesses and employs a number of people the court heard.

At one stage he studied Philosophy in university as a mature student, but was unable to complete his studies for financial reasons.

Judge Sheahan said at the previous hearing that the serious nature of the offending was an aggravating factor. She noted several mitigating factors including Lynch’s early guilty plea, his work history and the 19-year gap in which he had not offended.

She also directed that Lynch offer €1,500 to each of the victims as a token of remorse within the next 28 days. If the victims decline the offer, the money should be paid to the Simon Community. She had further directed Lynch to remain away from the street in question.

Judge Sheahan had ordered Lynch to come under the supervision of the Probation Service for the next 12 months before she adjourned the case to today