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Courts
Man who punched pensioner off his bike and broke his eye socket to be sentenced next month
27-year-old Ruzmond Muwaniri, who suffers from schizophrenia, is also facing sentencing for punching another man in the face and smashing his teeth.
A ZIMBABWEAN MAN suffering from schizophrenia who punched a passing pensioner knocking him off his bicycle will be sentenced next month.
Ruzmond Muwaniri (27) is also awaiting sentence for punching a man in the face and smashing his teeth because he mistakenly believed the victim was racially abusing him.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard he had missed several appointments to have his medication injected around the time of the assaults.
Muwaniri, of Crumlin, Dublin, has pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the two men at separate locations on 9 March 2015 and 21 May 2015.
He has 60 previous convictions including several for assault. In 2013 he was jailed for two years for severely beating his then partner and throwing an electric heater at her.
Defence counsel, Pieter Le Vert BL, told the court that at some point after serving the sentence ultimately imposed for these offences Muwaniri would have to be returned to the community and there would need to be multidisciplinary supports in place.
Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case in custody until next month in order to seek guidance on the mechanics of establishing a dedicated care package for Muwaniri.
Punched
Garda Dolores Walsh told Martina Baxter BL, prosecuting, that the 67-year-old pensioner was out for a cycle with his dog and was travelling along Cheeverstown Road in Tallaght when he was punched by Muwaniri, who was crossing the road.
The man was knocked off his bicycle and lost consciousness. He was assisted by a passer-by and later woke up in hospital where he was treated for a broken eye socket as well as cuts and bruises.
Muwaniri ran to the nearby Cheeverstown Luas Stop where he went into some bushes and retrieved a stick. He was seen pacing up and down the platform for about five minutes until the tram arrived. He then got on the tram, leaving the stick behind on the platform.
Muwaniri was identified on CCTV footage and came to Tallaght Garda station for interview. He told gardaí on viewing the CCTV footage: “It looks like me but it’s not me.”
Walsh agreed with Le Vert that Muwaniri stayed on the Luas for between 10 and 15 minutes after the assault and during that time he stared “straight ahead”. She agreed that around this time Muwaniri had missed some appointments for his medication to be injected.
She agreed he told gardaí that he didn’t remember anything and said he would not have done anything like that. He told gardaí he felt bad looking at pictures of the man’s injuries.
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