A man has received a four-month jail sentence for a "vicious" premeditated attack on a McDonald's customer in Dublin and was banned from all branches of the fast food chain.
Harmony Mayitonda (26), of Hansfield, Clonee, Dublin 15, was also fined €500 after pleading guilty to violent disorder at the McDonald's in Rathmines on January 12th, 2017.
Dublin District Court heard the injured party, a male student, was seated when two males and a female approached.
Warehouse worker Mayitonda "suddenly" punched him before the group of three simultaneously attacked, the court heard. At one point, the accused stood on a table and kicked him while his accomplices were beating the man.
The victim suffered minor cuts and swelling and declined to give a statement to gardai.
Judge Hughes highlighted the "ferocity, intensity and viciousness of the assault", as shown in the video evidence. He noted that a table was broken and "uprooted from the floor" during the incident.
The defence barrister pleaded for leniency, telling the court the accused was in full-time work and had believed the victim had harassed and inappropriately touched a woman known to him during a social occasion.
Counsel said he got angry and was "effectively seeing red". However, the court heard Mayitonda was remorseful and accepted he should not have done it.
Judge Hughes described the incident as a "protracted and premeditated and unprovoked" attack.
He gave Mayitonda credit for his guilty plea and noted he had no prior convictions, but held that a jail term was appropriate.
He imposed a six-month sentence but suspended the final two months on the condition that Mayitonda does not re-offend in the next two years.
Judge Hughes ordered him to pay a fine and contact the Probation Service within 48 months of release. He must remain supervised for two years, complete an educational course, never contact the victim and "stay out of all McDonald's branches".
A woman who took part in the incident was given a 10-month suspended sentence, and a youth was previously given a juvenile caution for his role.
