'Very loud snoring' blamed as row between Dublin neighbours ends up in court

Ismail Tamar, 41, was charged with assault causing harm to Mouro Di Dio

A man refused bail after being accused of assaulting his neighbour in Dublin has claimed the row started because he “snores very loudly”.

Ismail Tamar, 41, with an address at South Circular Road, was charged with assault causing harm to Mouro Di Dio on Wednesday. Mr Tamar, who moved to Ireland from Afghanistan, appeared before Judge Monika Leech at Dublin District Court.

Garda James Butler alleged Mr Di Dio suffered ligament damage to one of his hands when he tried to protect himself. He claimed Mr Tamar attempted to strike him with a wooden stick, and Mr Di Dio also put up his leg to protect himself but had one of his shoes taken by the defendant.

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The court heard they lived in neighbouring flats, but there had been a deterioration in their relationship and several incidents where the complainant and his wife suffered abuse at the hands of Mr Tamar.

The complainant came to the hearing with his arm in a sling. Objecting to bail, the garda said there had been an escalation and feared that Mr Tamar would behave in a violent and aggressive manner toward Mr Di Dio and his wife.

Defence solicitor Tony Collier said his client lived in the adjacent flat and maintained the complainant had harassed him and had been banging on Mr Tamar’s wall. The garda said that when he took a statement of complaint, “the issue of snoring was never mentioned”.

Mr Di Dio told the bail hearing that the defendant had been banging on his door and walls every night and that he had recorded incidents.

He claimed that on Wednesday morning, the defendant had been waiting for him and his wife in the hall and that he tried to protect himself. He said he had to take a week off work and get his hand checked again.

Mr Di Dio rejected the defence suggestion that “it is because he snores very loudly, and you would have been complaining to him about his snoring.” He also denied banging Mr Tamar’s walls and said he wanted to live in peace.

Mr Collier said it was a neighbours' dispute. He pleaded for bail, saying his client had the presumption of innocence but would obey conditions and not contact the complainant or his wife.

However, Judge Leech remanded him in custody pending directions from the DPP to determine if the case should stay in the District Court or go to the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers. Legal aid was granted to Mr Tamar, who will appear again in court next week.

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