Motorist pleads guilty to spitting in woman’s face in Cork city

A motorist spat into a woman’s face when road rage “went pear-shaped” but the sentencing judge said the assault was more than road rage.

Inspector Mark Keating said this incident occurred at a time that the injured party was travelling in the front passenger seat of her own car which was driven by her partner on the occasion.

58-year-old Tadgh Waters of Hartland’s Avenue, Cork, pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting the woman at Doughcloyne industrial estate on Sarsfield Road, Wilton, Cork, on August 5 2020.

Inspector Mark Keating said, “What happened was that the defendant’s car cut in in front of them and they beeped.

“He (the defendant) responded by driving extremely slowly in front of them. This continued as they drove into Doughcloyne industrial estate.

“They pulled up abreast of him and the woman put down her window and the defendant put down his window.

“She was asking him about his driving and he spat in her face. That was the assault.

“He has 18 previous convictions. In fairness to him the most recent case goes back to 2014. He has one previous for assault but this dates back to 2006. Others are minor public order convictions.

“It was a road rage incident that went pear-shaped.”

 Judge Marian O’Leary said, “Road rage is one thing but spitting on someone is something else.” 

The judge said she could not proceed to impose penalty on the motorist for assaulting the woman by spitting her, until a victim impact statement was before the court.

Judge O’Leary considered putting the case back for a fortnight for that purpose. However, following a submission from Eddie Burke solicitor that the accused needed to travel out of the country soon to address a family issue, the judge said she would finalise the matter on February 13.