Businessman (37) who punched man in 'serious assault' is jailed

Claire Henry

A businessman who punched another man in the face during a “serious assault” has been handed a prison sentence of three years and three months.

Gezim Idrzi (37) of Lutterlstown Heights, Castleknock, Dublin, was found guilty by a jury of one count of assault causing harm and was acquitted on one count of false imprisonment of a man at GZ Security, Rosemount, Business Park, Ballycollin, on February 1st, 2016. He has two previous convictions for road traffic offences.

Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Patricia Ryan said, “this is a very serious assault with three people involved".

Judge Ryan said the aggravating factors, in this case, were the injuries sustained, the effect this assault has had on the injured party and that it was a prolonged assault.

The judge said, “this has to result in a custodial sentence due to the seriousness of the assault”.

Taking his cooperation on arrest, his lack of relevant previous conviction, and the hardship this will cause to his family as mitigating factors, she sentenced him to three years and nine months, suspending the final six months for two years.

Garda Stuart Gleeson told Eoghan Cole, BL, prosecuting, that the injured party had gone to the business premises on the day in question with the hope of selling a payment system to Idrzi. Both men were known to each other and had done business in the past. Idrzi met the man, but he did not wish to go ahead with the business offer. The injured man left and went to his next appointment.

Gda Gleeson said, the man received a call later that day from Idrzi and asked him to return to the business premises under the promise of doing business. The injured man returned, arriving at the premises at 2pm and went into a ground-floor office with Idrzi.

The court heard that another man came into the office, and Idrzi accused the man of defrauding him in the past. The man was then punched in the face by the accused; he was in shock and continued to be hit with a closed fist many more times. His hands were held behind his back by the second man.

Gda Gleeson said that the injured man was bound with tape, placed on a chair and had a towel put over his head. The injured man was in and out of consciousness and believed that a third man also came into the office during this time.

When the towel was removed, Idrzi asked him if he was ok to drive and told him “not to contact the gardaí or he would be killed”. The injured man left and drove home and contacted gardaí, who came to his home. The gardaí took a statement and called an ambulance, and the injured man was brought to the hospital.

A medical report was handed into the court, which outlined that the man had sustained facial fractures, a laceration to his lip and pain and bruising to the face and chest. He was kept in hospital overnight for observations.

The court heard that a search warrant was issued, and gardai searched the GZ Security premises, where blood stains were found on the floor office. The accused was also present in the office and was arrested and brought for interview. Idrzi denied all wrongdoing and assaulting the man.

The injured man read a victim impact statement to the court. He said he had to pay €200 for medical bills and lost €4,000 as he was off work for six months. He said when he went back to work, “I was afraid that the same thing would happen and that I would be beaten”. He also said he “felt useless and embarrassed because he was beaten up”.

Gda Gleeson agreed with Ciaran O’Loughlin, SC, defending, that his client came to Ireland when he was aged 15 and became a successful businessman.

Mr O’Loughlin handed in character references from a solicitor who has known Idrzi for over 20 years and described him as “a man with an incredible work ethic and is an excellent employer”.

Counsel said his client is a family man and is willing to offer compensation to the injured party.