A young woman was punched several times in the head and neck by her own brother during a row in front of their grandmother and today the culprit was jailed for ten months.

The young man pleaded guilty to assaulting his sister and another young woman who was related to him. He also admitted putting his grandmother in fear by his actions at lunchtime September 13 at her home.

Shane Collins-Daly said at an in camera hearing of Cork District Court today that the accused had effectively been reared by his grandmother and had a close relationship with her.

He said there had been sporadic incidents where the young man had gotten drunk and put his grandmother in fear. However, he said the complainant had been in daily contact with the defendant by phone to prison and she had been sending money to him for him to spend in the prison shop.

Judge Olann Kelleher said he knew the defendant’s grandmother from coming to court to give evidence and he said she was a very nice woman who was treated disgracefully by the defendant.

The judge noted that the defendant had kicked her front door in on this occasion. “He breaks the order that his grandmother had to come to court to get. He takes the law into his own hands when he wants to,” Judge Kelleher said.

A total sentence of ten months was imposed on him.

Mr Collins-Daly said the accused apologised to his family members for his behaviour on the night.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said the defendant kicked in the front door of his grandmother’s home at lunchtime on the day last month. He made his way into the kitchen and struck his sister several times to the head and neck. When the other young woman appeared he struck her knocking her back on to a couch and then punched her in the mouth.

Mr Collins-Daly said that the 24-year-old defendant became angry with his sister because it was claimed that she was calling him names related to his past drug use. The solicitor said the accused had been clear of drugs for 16 weeks.