Evening Echo Court reports

A YOUNG man went through primary and secondary school without his autism being diagnosed and yesterday he was jailed for three months for an assault on a shop assistant.

Christian Hallihan of Bellview Court, Old Youghal Road, pleaded guilty to carrying out the assault.

Inspector Ronan Kenneally said: “The injured party was in the shop. The nature of the assault was being pushed a number of times before the shop was ransacked. It was frightening more than anything. There was no serious injury.” Judge Olann Kelleher noted that one of his colleagues had adjourned the case until yesterday so that the extent of the assault could be clarified at Cork District Court.

Inspector Kenneally said the injured party did not want to come to court to give evidence in person.

Maire O’Sullivan, solicitor, said two psychological reports on the accused were also available in court yesterday.

“This young man has had a great deal of difficulty. He went through his entire primary and secondary schooling without being diagnosed as autistic.

“He has a great difficulty determining what might be going to happen next. His judgement is poor.

“There was a serious incident, but he was not involved in it. For him to refrain from what he might otherwise have been brought into was an achievement for him, ” Ms O’Sullivan said.

The inspector said Hallihan had 28 previous convictions and was presently serving a sentence that would keep him in custody until May 31 at the earliest.

Judge Kelleher said the three months imposed yesterday would run concurrently with the sentence already being served.