A 46-year-old man who attacked another man with a meat cleaver has walked free from court after admitting the attack.
Ilker Karatas, of Dunmore Gardens in Creggan, had originally denied assaulting the man occasioning him actual bodily harm on 18 May last year.
However speaking through an interpreter after the charge was put to him at Derry Magistrates Court Karatas, originally from Turkey, said: “Not guilty but guilty of common assault.”
The court heard when police were called to Dunmore Gardens following the incident, Karatas resisted arrest and it took three officers to handcuff him.
Karatas, who also admitted having an offensive weapon, namely a meat cleaver in a public place, and resisting arrest, was given conditional discharges.
Passing sentence, Magistrate Des Perry, said the injured party was “very fortunate” he did not suffer more serious injury.
Mr Perry added: “What you did was completely inappropriate.
“Do not take the law into your own hands, least of all with a meat cleaver in your hands.”
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