Olivia Kelleher
A convicted murderer who smashed a bottle in the face of a man who was walking home on Christmas Day has been ordered to return to his native Lithuania or else face a three-year prison sentence.
Andrius Augylius, of no fixed abode, is to be transferred from Cork Prison to Cloverhill Prision later this week to facilitate him in taking a one way flight back to Lithuania from Dublin Airport.
Mr Augylius pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to a man in Cork city on Christmas Day 2018.
Detective Garda Lorna Healy said the injured man was walking home along Patrick St when the accused approached him and struck him in the face with a bottle.
The attack occurred shortly after 3am on Christmas day 2018 when the man was on his way to his apartment in Summerhill North.
No motive
Det Garda Healy told Judge Sean O'Donnabhain that such was the force of the blow that the bottle smashed. The man required seven stitches to a laceration on his face. Shards of glass were also removed from his eye. The attack had no motive.
The court heard that Mr Augylius had arrived in Cork in 2016 having allegedly been promised construction work along with accommodation. However, the job and accommodation fell through and he ended up relying on the Simon Community.
Since his arrival in Ireland Mr Augylius, who is in his 40s, has received seven convictions mainly for public order offences. He has five convictions in Lithuania.
These include convictions for robbery and for pre-meditated murder for which he received an 11-year sentence.
Defence barrister, Sinead Behan, said that her client was keen to return to Lithuania where he has family.
She produced a one way ticket to Lithuania which has been purchased by her client for this Friday.
Judge O'Donnabhain said it was worrying unprovoked attack carried out on an innocent man.
"I am greatly in favour of open borders but having this lad walking around the streets of Cork gives me trepidation. I want to be sure I can get him out. This was a very significant type of assault in an unprovoked attack done to an innocent man. “
Judge O'Donnabhain suspended a three-year sentence in the case with the condition that Mr Augylius leave the country and not return for a period of five years.
