Latest news with #Dunstan
Sunday World
11 hours ago
- Sunday World
Van ram man jailed for punching driver and smashing her partner's car vows to clear name
Attacker claimed someone slashed tyres and scraped vehicle before he was beaten by woman's partner and another man after vicious assault A man jailed for repeatedly punching 'Ulster's angriest driver' and ramming her partner's car through a fence has vowed to clear his name. Paul Dunstan was pictured arriving at Downpatrick courthouse on Friday where he launched his appeal against his conviction and seven-month jail sentence for assaulting his former neighbour Tammy Sparkes. Sparkes was dubbed the country's angriest driver earlier this year when she appeared in court to face her THIRD shocking road rage attack – none of which had anything to do with Mr Dunstan. Those hat-trick of separate incidents saw the 29-year-old mum tear clumps of hair from a terrified woman, punch a police officer, repeatedly kick-a-car causing almost £2,000 worth of damage and grab a neighbour by the hair while driving her car – dragging the woman along. Paul Dunstan News in 90 Seconds - June 20th But last month she gave evidence as the victim of an attack by Paul Dunstan of Drumglass Avenue in Bangor after the 43-year-old went berserk after someone slashed the tyres of his van and scraped the side of the £40,000 vehicle. The pair lived beside each other for three years in Loverock Close in Bangor and had not got on well together. Dunstan, who had 17 previous convictions, claimed he reacted after discovering someone had stabbed his tyres and keyed his car – something Tammy Sparkes and Stephen Elliott say had nothing to do with them. Footage was shown to the judge at Ards Magistrates' Court which showed Dunstan, who ironically runs a car body repair business, repeatedly ramming Stephen Elliott's Peugeot 208 car – forcing it back over 30 yards through a corrugated iron fence and into the back garden of another house. CCTV captures the altercation between Paul Dunstan, Stephen Elliott and Tammy Sparkes CCTV footage CCTV footage Dunstan is seen in an altercation seconds later with Tammy Sparkes who went over to the van to remonstrate with him. During the tussle he's seen swinging and connecting with several punches on Sparkes. Her partner Stephen Elliott, who owned the car rammed by Dunstan, then intervenes and is seen repeatedly punching Dunstan in what he told the court was an act of self-defence and sticking up for his partner. The Sunday World obtained the full video footage, taken by a neighbour across the road, which Mr Dunstan believes shows he was not the only person who should have been in court. 'Look, I know what I did was very wrong,' said Paul Dunstan on the steps of Downpatrick Court. 'I shouldn't have rammed the car like that but I was under major stress at the time because both my parents had been in and out of hospital and I needed the van for work and to go to hospital. 'When I discovered someone had slashed my tyres and scraped the van – causing thousands of pounds of damage – I lost it. 'But what happened afterwards was not all one-sided. I never wanted a fight. Tammy grabbed me out of the van and had me by the throat. I couldn't get free. I was swinging to get free. I know that part of the video didn't look good but there's context to it all. I'm not a violent person.' He says he accepts he was guilty of careless driving but say he was beaten excessively before the police were even called. 'Watch the video – Stephen Elliott punches me repeatedly until I hit the pavement. I'm knocked unconscious and then both of the them continue to kick and punch me. I had no idea what was going on. I'm lying there for ages. 'Watch the video – Tammy comes back and can be seen taking photos of me lying there on her phone then she starts hitting me with her phone.' Paul Dunstan And the video shows two more males, who appear to arrive from the back garden Dunstan has just deposited Beattie's car, who remonstrate with a prone Dunstan. One of these men is then seen delivering a sickening kick to the head of Mr Dunstan who is still lying on the ground. 'There was no need for that level of violence against me. The man who kicked me in the head – I have no idea who he was – wasn't even arrested even though I made a statement to the police,' says Paul Dunstan. 'I have a new legal team and I want the judge to see all of the video. I feel I was discriminated against by the PSNI and the PPS. 'When I was first arrested the police told me they had seen the video and they said it looked like I was the victim in this. I made statements but never heard anything back. 'All I'm saying is I shouldn't have been the only one standing in court. That's why I am going to try and get this overturned.' Speaking to the Sunday World last month, Tammy Sparkes said: 'It was around 9.30pm when I heard all this revving and screeching and went out to see Paul Dunstan reversing his big van into Stephen's car over and over again. 'He just kept going, the car alarm was going off, and the car was getting forced backwards towards this metal fence. 'He was out of his mind. When I went out he got out of his van he just sat down on the pavement and then he got up and started punching me repeatedly in the head. It was really scary. 'I had a black eye and a concussion as well as cuts and bruises.' Stephen Elliott told this paper he admitted he punched Dunstan when he came out and saw him attacking Tammy. 'I decked him, of course I did, what else could I do? But then some people came from over the fence from when he'd rammed my car into and they gave him a bad doing.' The video footage shows only one other man attack Dunstan – the thug who kicked him in the head while he was already on the ground. Dunstan had contested a charge of dangerous driving but his lawyer said the defendant was admitting careless driving. He was convicted at an earlier court sitting of charges of dangerous diving, assault, and failing to provide a breath sample. Judge Magill said at a previous hearing, 'It is obvious that he (Dunstan) launched a determined assault upon the woman. He struck her multiple times with both fists to her head and face'. The judge said it was 'ludicrous' for the defendant to claim the driving had been careless driving as it was 'obviously dangerous driving' and convicted him of the charges. A defence barrister said the defendant runs a car body repair shop and the loss of his licence would impact on the business. She said the defendant said his vehicle had been 'attacked' and he reacted. He had 'acted in self-defence'. Judge Magill said it had been 'utterly appalling behaviour'. He jailed Dunstan for seven months and banned him from driving for two years as well as issuing a two-year restraining order before releasing him on bail so he could appeal both conviction and sentence. On Friday at Downpatrick County Court Paul Dunstan had his appeal adjourned until October 17th for contest. Tammy Sparkes with her partner Stephen Elliott speaking to reporter Steven Moore In March Tammy Sparkes was handed a three-month sentence, suspended for two years, as District Judge Peter Magill said her behaviour was 'utterly unacceptable' but spared her jail because of her child. He gave her a year to compensate her latest victim, whose car cost £1,868 to fix, warning that if she did not make a significant hole in the debt, she would go to jail. Last year, in an unrelated attack, she entered guilty pleas to six offences arising from a minor shunt including careless driving, causing actual bodily harm, causing criminal damage, using disorderly behaviour, assaulting a police officer and breaching a suspended jail sentence. The driver of a Jaguar, which Sparkes had driven into, told police how she pulled up at the junction but was struck by Sparkes' Audi. When they got out to swap insurance details, Sparkes 'began assaulting her by grabbing her by the hair and pulling out clumps of hair'. 'Officers at the scene looked down and could see a large clump of hair lying on the ground,' the court heard, adding that at the time Sparkes was subject to a suspended sentence imposed in a different court but for a similar offence. In July 2022 at Newtownards Magistrates Court, Sparkes was handed a four-month prison sentence suspended for three years along with a £400 compensation order after she entered guilty pleas to careless driving and causing actual bodily harm to a woman on May 6, 2021.
Otago Daily Times
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
SBHS remain unbeaten after trouncing OBHS
Southland Boys' winger Zeke Siola charges to one of his three tries during the interschool against Otago Boys' in Invercargill yesterday. PHOTO: DEBBIE FAHEY PHOTOGRAPHY Southland Boys' remain unbeaten in the Southern Schools Rugby Championship. They dispatched old rivals Otago Boys' 43-12 in Invercargill yesterday. The game doubled as an interschool fixture and was a fairly convincing win for the home team. They led 24-0 at halftime. Otago Boys' rallied in the second half but they were outmatched. Southland Boys' coach Jason Dermody is pleased with the way his side have improved since their opening game of the campaign. They dominated the physical exchanges yesterday, particularly in the opening half. Blindside flanker Elliot Wilson shone on the side of the scrum. He made some punishing tackles and openside Josh Cairns had an industrious match. Winger Zeke Siolo grabbed a hat-trick. The evasive left winger displayed good pace and power. "He's done a lot of work in the offseason to get fit, and is understanding how to play rugby now," Dermody said. "He's really good with ball in hand." Southland essentially put the game out of reach just before halftime. First five Jimmy Taylor put in a pinpoint cross kick to Siolo, who ran in to score from 40m. Otago Boys' have had a tough opening round in the competition. They beat King's and Southland Boys' 2nds. But losses to John McGlashan and Dunstan followed by yesterday's loss have left the traditional powerhouses in fourth place. While Dunstan had one win during the opening round, they finished last in division 1 and will be relegated to division 2. St Kevin's College and Mt Aspiring will play off for a spot in division 1. That game is in Ranfurly on Saturday and is the only game this weekend.
The Advertiser
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Police stand firm on show of force at soccer final
Police are making no apologies for a heavy handed approach around the A-League grand final, after one officer was hospitalised and flares were thrown at the crowd. Heavily armed officers, riot police and the mounted branch were part of a visible show of force from Victoria Police for the match between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Saturday night. Police reported a generally positive atmosphere at the match with 11 evictions, four penalty notices and one arrest for an alleged assault on a security guard. Despite good behaviour inside AAMI Park, CBD Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan said incidents before the match in nearby Swan Street involved supporters throwing flares at police, and into the crowd, as they marched to the venue. Over 20 flares were set off before the match, and six within AAMI Park. One police officer was taken to hospital after he was kicked by an unknown offender in Swan Street, requiring his jaw to be glued back together. That matter is still being investigated. Commander Dunstan said police efforts were bolstered ahead of the match because of past experience and other intelligence. "We were expecting concerning behaviours, and we were pleased to see that the vast majority of people were acting fantastically," the senior officer told reporters on Sunday. "Only a couple of months so we had an affray between these active supporter groups - that's concerning for us, and we have an obligation to respond." Victorian police minister Anthony Carbines said A-League Grand Finals sometimes had a history of being "troubled". "I make no apologies for having a very strong police presence," Mr Carbines said on Sunday. "Past behaviour is often an indicator of future behaviour, and while the main behaviour was good, there will always be incidents." Melbourne City beat Melbourne Victory 1-0 in a scrappy win in the first ever Melbourne derby grand final. The crowd of 29,902 was a sporting record crowd at the venue. The league and both clubs have been contacted for comment. Police are making no apologies for a heavy handed approach around the A-League grand final, after one officer was hospitalised and flares were thrown at the crowd. Heavily armed officers, riot police and the mounted branch were part of a visible show of force from Victoria Police for the match between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Saturday night. Police reported a generally positive atmosphere at the match with 11 evictions, four penalty notices and one arrest for an alleged assault on a security guard. Despite good behaviour inside AAMI Park, CBD Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan said incidents before the match in nearby Swan Street involved supporters throwing flares at police, and into the crowd, as they marched to the venue. Over 20 flares were set off before the match, and six within AAMI Park. One police officer was taken to hospital after he was kicked by an unknown offender in Swan Street, requiring his jaw to be glued back together. That matter is still being investigated. Commander Dunstan said police efforts were bolstered ahead of the match because of past experience and other intelligence. "We were expecting concerning behaviours, and we were pleased to see that the vast majority of people were acting fantastically," the senior officer told reporters on Sunday. "Only a couple of months so we had an affray between these active supporter groups - that's concerning for us, and we have an obligation to respond." Victorian police minister Anthony Carbines said A-League Grand Finals sometimes had a history of being "troubled". "I make no apologies for having a very strong police presence," Mr Carbines said on Sunday. "Past behaviour is often an indicator of future behaviour, and while the main behaviour was good, there will always be incidents." Melbourne City beat Melbourne Victory 1-0 in a scrappy win in the first ever Melbourne derby grand final. The crowd of 29,902 was a sporting record crowd at the venue. The league and both clubs have been contacted for comment. Police are making no apologies for a heavy handed approach around the A-League grand final, after one officer was hospitalised and flares were thrown at the crowd. Heavily armed officers, riot police and the mounted branch were part of a visible show of force from Victoria Police for the match between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Saturday night. Police reported a generally positive atmosphere at the match with 11 evictions, four penalty notices and one arrest for an alleged assault on a security guard. Despite good behaviour inside AAMI Park, CBD Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan said incidents before the match in nearby Swan Street involved supporters throwing flares at police, and into the crowd, as they marched to the venue. Over 20 flares were set off before the match, and six within AAMI Park. One police officer was taken to hospital after he was kicked by an unknown offender in Swan Street, requiring his jaw to be glued back together. That matter is still being investigated. Commander Dunstan said police efforts were bolstered ahead of the match because of past experience and other intelligence. "We were expecting concerning behaviours, and we were pleased to see that the vast majority of people were acting fantastically," the senior officer told reporters on Sunday. "Only a couple of months so we had an affray between these active supporter groups - that's concerning for us, and we have an obligation to respond." Victorian police minister Anthony Carbines said A-League Grand Finals sometimes had a history of being "troubled". "I make no apologies for having a very strong police presence," Mr Carbines said on Sunday. "Past behaviour is often an indicator of future behaviour, and while the main behaviour was good, there will always be incidents." Melbourne City beat Melbourne Victory 1-0 in a scrappy win in the first ever Melbourne derby grand final. The crowd of 29,902 was a sporting record crowd at the venue. The league and both clubs have been contacted for comment.
West Australian
01-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Police stand firm on show of force at soccer final
Police are making no apologies for a heavy handed approach around the A-League grand final, after one officer was hospitalised and flares were thrown at the crowd. Heavily armed officers, riot police and the mounted branch were part of a visible show of force from Victoria Police for the match between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Saturday night. Police reported a generally positive atmosphere at the match with 11 evictions, four penalty notices and one arrest for an alleged assault on a security guard. Despite good behaviour inside AAMI Park, CBD Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan said incidents before the match in nearby Swan Street involved supporters throwing flares at police, and into the crowd, as they marched to the venue. Over 20 flares were set off before the match, and six within AAMI Park. One police officer was taken to hospital after he was kicked by an unknown offender in Swan Street, requiring his jaw to be glued back together. That matter is still being investigated. Commander Dunstan said police efforts were bolstered ahead of the match because of past experience and other intelligence. "We were expecting concerning behaviours, and we were pleased to see that the vast majority of people were acting fantastically," the senior officer told reporters on Sunday. "Only a couple of months so we had an affray between these active supporter groups - that's concerning for us, and we have an obligation to respond." Victorian police minister Anthony Carbines said A-League Grand Finals sometimes had a history of being "troubled". "I make no apologies for having a very strong police presence," Mr Carbines said on Sunday. "Past behaviour is often an indicator of future behaviour, and while the main behaviour was good, there will always be incidents." Melbourne City beat Melbourne Victory 1-0 in a scrappy win in the first ever Melbourne derby grand final. The crowd of 29,902 was a sporting record crowd at the venue. The league and both clubs have been contacted for comment.
Perth Now
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Police stand firm on show of force at soccer final
Police are making no apologies for a heavy handed approach around the A-League grand final, after one officer was hospitalised and flares were thrown at the crowd. Heavily armed officers, riot police and the mounted branch were part of a visible show of force from Victoria Police for the match between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Saturday night. Police reported a generally positive atmosphere at the match with 11 evictions, four penalty notices and one arrest for an alleged assault on a security guard. Despite good behaviour inside AAMI Park, CBD Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan said incidents before the match in nearby Swan Street involved supporters throwing flares at police, and into the crowd, as they marched to the venue. Over 20 flares were set off before the match, and six within AAMI Park. One police officer was taken to hospital after he was kicked by an unknown offender in Swan Street, requiring his jaw to be glued back together. That matter is still being investigated. Commander Dunstan said police efforts were bolstered ahead of the match because of past experience and other intelligence. "We were expecting concerning behaviours, and we were pleased to see that the vast majority of people were acting fantastically," the senior officer told reporters on Sunday. "Only a couple of months so we had an affray between these active supporter groups - that's concerning for us, and we have an obligation to respond." Victorian police minister Anthony Carbines said A-League Grand Finals sometimes had a history of being "troubled". "I make no apologies for having a very strong police presence," Mr Carbines said on Sunday. "Past behaviour is often an indicator of future behaviour, and while the main behaviour was good, there will always be incidents." Melbourne City beat Melbourne Victory 1-0 in a scrappy win in the first ever Melbourne derby grand final. The crowd of 29,902 was a sporting record crowd at the venue. The league and both clubs have been contacted for comment.
