A man who head-butted a carclamper was jailed for 10 months yesterday.
Ian Dutton (35), of Clondalkin, Dublin, denied assaulting Mr Joe Heaney at Capel Street in October 1998, or assaulting two gardai.
Dublin District Court heard Dutton had 22 convictions including assaults on gardai, criminal damage and stealing cars. He is serving a seven-year sentence for damage to property, and the 10-month sentence will run concurrently. After sentencing his lawyer claimed Dutton had been assaulted while held down by clampers.
The trial heard that after Mr Heaney put a clamping sticker on a car he saw Dutton running towards him.
He told Mr Heaney: "You're only a scumbag, and how do you sleep at night doing the job you do? If you were not in uniform I would kill you".
Mr Heaney said he tried to move away, but Dutton came after him and head-butted him.
When two Control Plus colleagues arrived Dutton asked if Mr Heaney was going to call gardai and when he replied that he would, Dutton punched him in the head. CCTV footage showed Dutton struggling with gardai.