Father and daughter receive suspended jail terms for attacking neighbour

Marian Simunek (49), a poultry factory worker and Martina Simunekava (19), a student, both of Grange Road, pleaded guilty to assaulting a man occasioning him actual bodily harm in relation to February 23 this year. They had the assistance of a Slovakian interpreter at Ballymena Magistrates Court.

A prosecutor said just after midnight on February 24 police received a report a male was assaulted.

The man said he had been at his home address at 7.30pm when he heard the front door of his flat open with a key. He said it was his neighbour Marian from a flat downstairs. The injured party said also present was Marian’s daughter and two other men and alleged Marian “began to question him about a lamp”. The man said Marian then hit him on the jaw and as the injured party “cowered on the ground” the other two men hit him, one of whom was carrying a stick. He said all three men kicked and punched him and he received a blow to the back of his head with a stick.

The prosecutor said the other two alleged attackers are expected to be summonsed to appear in court.

The injured party said Martina threw a glass and a plate at him which hit him on the body.

The prosecutor said the injured party told police one of the other males had told him that “if he didn’t move out by the next day that he would break his and his wife’s legs.”

The injured party said he “managed to escape”. He had swelling to back of his head, a cut and swelling on the left side of his forehead and pain to his cheek and lip. There were also cuts and pains to his stomach and back and his t-shirt was ripped.

The court heard the father and daughter had clear records.

Defence barrister Stephen Law said there had been an “argument” with the neighbour which had “reached boiling point” and they had gone to “remonstrate with him”. He said both accused were “ashamed of their actions”; wished to apologise and there had been “no further difficulties”.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said: “The court takes a very serious view of this case. This was a totally unprovoked attack on a victim in his own home and were it not for the fact that they made full admissions and had clear records they would almost certainly be going straight to prison today.”

Both father and daughter were given six months prison terms, Marian’s suspended for two years and Martina’s suspended for one year.