Man Who 'Saw Red' Jailed For Five Years

A "a fit of temper and thirst for vengeance" that drove a father-to-be to deliberately knock a cyclist off his bicycle and then drive over him has been sentenced to five years in jail.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard how 27-year-old Noel McGrath had been blinded by a “red mist” when he attacked his victim, who he believed had tried to kiss his girlfriend a few weeks earlier in a nightclub.

Garda Danielle Farragher told the court that Mr Culligan was cycling in Sandyford when he spotted McGrath drive into Moreen Walk. McGrath drove past but then drove back towards Mr Culligan and on to the footpath.

Mr Culligan cycled off the path to try and get away but McGrath followed and drove at him, knocking him off his bike. He then drove over Mr Culligan before driving away.

Culligan suffered a dislocated pelvis and broken wrist. A medical report concluded that it had taken three to four months for him to recover.

McGrath was arrested later the same day.

When question by gardai McGrath accused Culligan of sexually assaulting his girlfriend by trying to kiss her. He also said his girlfriend had also just told him she could be pregnant and he just started "seeing red" when he spotted Culligan.

"I wanted to show him he could not f**k with me and get away with it. I am not a doormat," McGrath said in an interview.

McGrath pleaded guilty to assault causing Mr Culligan harm on March 31, 2011. He has no previous convictions.

Defence counsel Roughan Banim said that although it turned out his girlfriend was not pregnant at the time, she is now due to have McGrath's baby in a few weeks. However, the couple are no longer together.

Judge Martin Nolan suspended the final three years of the sentence, taking into account McGrath's previous good record.

(H)