Suspended sentence for man who pleaded guilty to assault, stealing an iPhone and a black flat cap 

“Man wants your money, man wants your phone.” 

These were the words used by a man who confronted two brothers who stepped off a bus near their home in the early hours of the morning.

One of the victims was head-butted and punched in the course of the crime.

Garda Tom Delaney testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that the two brothers stepped off the 220 bus at the new roundabout at the top of Maryborough Hill at 3.20 am on Saturday night/ Sunday morning of March 1 2020.

“They were called back by Buster Holland who said, ‘Man wants your money, man wants your phone’, Garda Delaney said.

One of the young men was then head-butted and punched. Both he and his brother managed to get away and they ran in different directions.

Buster Holland caught up with the second young man who was able to keep a large road-sign between himself and the assailant. The defendant used the same words again to demand money and a phone from the victim.

During the course of these incidents, he got one phone which he smashed.

The two brothers later flagged down a taxi to get home and passed the defendant on the road. The man who was punched and head-butted had bruising to his eye and lip, none of which proved to be serious injuries.

25-year-old Buster Holland of Belmont Court, Rochestown, signed pleas of guilty to charges including the robbery of an iPhone at Maryborough Hill, Douglas, stealing a black flat cap from a man, causing criminal damage to the phone and assaulting the man causing him harm.

Defence barrister Peter O’Flynn said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that the defendant had brought a total of €2,000 compensation to court for the injured parties.

Mr O’Flynn said the defendant had committed no crimes of violence in the past and that this incident was out of character for him.

The barrister said Holland commented that he was disgusted by his behaviour.

“He engaged with mental health services previously. He has been making efforts to get back into counselling. He moved back to the UK in December and had engaged with several services in the UK,” Mr O’Flynn said.

Working in Cornwall, he managed to put together the sum of €2,000 in compensation. Garda Delaney agreed that the defendant appeared to be doing all he could to turn his life around.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin imposed a fully suspended two-year sentence on Buster Holland.

“This was somewhat out of character, even though he did have previous public order convictions. I direct that the €2,000 be divided equally between the two brothers.

“He is making genuine efforts since he went to Cornwall,” the judge said.