A student and a council worker attacked a Good Samaritan when he went to check if they were injured after the car they were passengers in crashed into his neighbour's wall.

Bobby Kuti (23) punched John Swift in the head and kicked him when he fell to the ground while Isaac Asuzu (25) gave him "a belt to the head".

Mr Swift said a neighbour, John Kelly, handed him a golf club and he hit one of the men in self-defence after they "ran at him".

He claimed the pair became aggressive when Mr Kelly's daughter started taking photos of the crash, telling her "don't take f***ing pictures" and he remonstrated with them, saying: "Don't talk to the lady like that."

Finding them guilty of assault, Judge David McHugh said he was satisfied Kuti was the greater protagonist.

The judge sentenced him to four months in prison while Asuzu received a three-month sentence.

Kuti, of French Park Boulevard, Tyrrelstown, and Asuzu, of Avondale Park, Mulhuddart, had denied assaulting Mr Swift during an incident in Blanchardstown on July 5, 2014.

Mr Swift told Blanchardstown District Court he was in bed when he heard a loud bang at around 6.30am.

Damage

He went outside and saw a car embedded in Mr Kelly's wall and four young men trying to move it.

He said he went to see if anyone was injured.

Mr Swift said Mr Kelly's daughter started taking pictures of the car and the damage.

One of the defendants swore at her, and Mr Swift complained about his language.

He said he then received a punch to the head and fell to the ground. When he was getting back up he was kicked on the side of the head.

His assailant was identified as Kuti.

The court heard that a second man, identified as Asuzu, then gave him a "belt to the head" and he fell to the ground again.

Mr Swift said his jaw was very sore for a few weeks after the assault and he had grazes to his hands and knees.

Mr Kelly and his wife Diana both said they saw the men punching and kicking Mr Swift.

In their evidence, the defendants admitted they punched Mr Swift but claimed it was in self-defence after he attacked them with a golf club.

Sentencing the pair, Judge McHugh described the assault as "appalling thuggery".

Defence lawyer Ciaran Mac- Loughlin said Kuti is an IT student while Asuzu is a road maintenance worker for a county council.

Herald