A ROMANIAN man has been charged with seriously assaulting a 65-year-old motorist, unlawfully taking his car and dangerously driving it away at Dublin airport.

Petricia Lucaci (24), a landscape gardener, appeared in Dublin District Court on charges arising from an incident following which he, the car owner and a garda were hospitalised.

Judge Patricia McNamara remanded him in custody for the directions of the DPP after hearing further more serious charges were being considered.

She also made a recommendation for appropriate medical attention for the accused.

Mr Lucaci, of no fixed address, is charged with assault causing harm to the man, unauthorised taking of his car at Dublin Airport and dangerous driving at the Ballymun Road.

The charges are under the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person and Road Traffic Acts and the incident is alleged to have happened yesterday afternoon.

Garda Garvan Lennon told the court he arrested the accused at the Naul Road at 4pm yesterday and brought him to Beaumont Hospital due to his injuries, then to Ballymun Garda Station.

He was charged at 10.40pm and replied to the unauthorised taking charge: “Yes, that is true.”

He said: “It’s true” in response to the dangerous driving count and made no reply to the third charge.

The defendant’s solicitor said he was not making an application for bail at this time.

Garda Lennon told Judge McNamara the DPP’s directions were not available yet but there would be “further serious charges” arising from the incident.

Judge McNamara remanded the accused in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court on October 15.

She recommended medical attention after hearing Mr Lucaci “might require some psychiatric assistance.”

Legal aid was granted after the defendant’s solicitor said Mr Lucaci had taken up a position with a landscaping company. There was no objection to legal aid by gardai.

The accused, wearing a purple jumper, grey trousers and brown shoes, and with a swollen and bruised left eye, limped as he entered and left the courtroom.

He did not address the court during the brief hearing.

According to gardai, a man in his 60s was assaulted by another man, who then got into the injured man’s car and left the scene.

A member of the public, a man in his mid 40s, was allegedly knocked down while attempting to stop this car as it drove out of the airport. Gardaí were alerted to the incident by Airport Police.

The car was stopped on the Naul Road, Ballymun and a man was arrested. One garda was injured during the arrest. He was taken to James Connolly Hospital for treatment and has since been released.

Gardai said the arrested man was taken to Beaumont Hospital and was discharged following treatment for his injuries. The car owner was also brought to Beaumont Hospital where he was treated for facial and other injuries.

The man knocked down at Dublin Airport was not seriously injured and did not attend hospital.

Online Editors