Man who 'lost temper' and launched hammer and axe attack avoids jail

But Judge James McCourt, sitting at Wexford Circuit Court, decided to suspend the term imposed on Marcin Jakubiec (40).

The address of the defendant was given as 36 Woodlands Manor, Gorey, and the name of the injured party as Greg Kranek.

The incident which led to the prosecution took place on October 13 in 2019 in Castlebridge.

On the night in question Kranek, a resident of Bray, was visiting his partner and two children there.

He was sitting in his black Mazda and looking in the glove compartment when the defendant arrived.

Jakubiec smashed a window of the Mazda before the target of his rage emerged from the car.

Kranek then received a cut arm from the axe and he was also hit to the back of the head with the hammer.

The accused then jumped into his Berlingo van and drove off.

The clash was seen by a man called Laurence Walsh who alerted the gardaí.

It emerged that Jakubiec knew the man he had attacked and, when arrested, he immediately admitted damaging the vehicle.

He told investigators that he had lost his head after the injured party made threats involving his partner and daughter earlier that day.

The court also learned that the defendant had 12 previous convictions for burglary, though none for assault.

Defence counsel explained that these convictions were racked up while his client had a cocaine habit and went off the rails.

Originally from Poland, Jakubiec was now 16 years resident in Ireland.

He had the tools used in the assault to hand in the van as he was a qualified stonemason, the barrister added.

‘It appears you lost your temper,’ Judge McCourt told the accused.

The one year jail sentence was suspended, while Jakubiec was bound to the peace and ordered to pay €500 to the garda benevolent association.