Student slashed ex's friend with car wing mirror

assault: 'Jealous rage' behind car park attack

Andrew Phelan

THIS is the student who was so consumed with jealousy when he saw his ex-girlfriend talking to another man, he trashed his car and slashed his shoulder open with the broken wing mirror.

Daniel Cummins (20) punched the victim in the face before throwing the broken mirror at him when he flew into a rage at an apartment complex car park.

The event management student was told by a judge he would avoid jail if he paid compensation to the victim, but he ended up back in court on unrelated public order charges in an earlier incident.

Cummins, with an address at Broadford Lawns, Ballinteer, is charged with causing a breach of the peace and failing to obey garda directions at Churchtown Road on July 11, 2009.

A judge issued a warrant for his arrest when he was late for a court appearance on the latest charges.

The assault and criminal damage case was previously dealt with at Dublin District Court and has been adjourned for a probation report.

The court heard at the time that Cummins was "consumed with jealousy" when he saw his ex-girlfriend and the victim talking at Cloragh Mills, Rathfarnham on June 26 last year.

Cummins punched the man in the face before stamping in his car windscreen and throwing a broken-off wing mirror at him, slashing his shoulder open.

Cummins had been waiting in the underground car park of his ex-girlfriend Joanne Harrington's apartment block when she arrived from a nightclub with friend Aaron Dooley.

He attacked Mr Dooley when he saw the pair sitting and talking in the car.

He threatened to kill Mr Dooley and called Ms Harrington a "slut".

Outrageous

Judge William Early had said it was an "outrageous" attack and ordered Cummins to pay €5,000 in compensation to Mr Dooley, including €3,500 for the damage to the car.

Mr Dooley had told the court he and Ms Harrington were chatting when he saw Cummins running toward the car.

Cummins was screaming a threat that Mr Dooley "was dead" and punched the passenger side window four to five times. Mr Dooley got out and Cummins took off his shirt, screaming: "You are dead, I'm going to kill you."

"Cummins was consumed with jealousy and he was waiting for Ms Harrington and Mr Dooley with a view to causing damage," the judge said. "He should be under no illusions -- this was an outrageous assault."

aphelan@herald.ie