A 61-yr-old Ukrainian man, whose four sons are currently fighting in the war against Russia, stabbed another man in the buttocks during an incident at a direct provision centre in north Clare, a court has been told, reports Breaking News.
The stabbing occurred on November 28th, 2023, at the Burren Hostel, Doolin Road, Lisdoonvarna, when Petro Drima attacked fellow Ukrainian Oleksandr Lozyuk during a dispute that started because Mr Lozyuk refused to give Mr Drima his bedroom key. At the time, Mr Drima was with a woman.
Mr Lozyuk had his own room at the hostel, while Mr Drima was staying in shared accommodation, reports Breaking News.
Mr Drima has pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr Lozyuk.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford described the incident as a serious offence, reports Breaking News.
The judge noted that Mr Lozyuk had already disengaged from the argument when Mr Drima stabbed him from behind.
Judge Comerford said the injury inflicted on Mr Lozyuk “isn’t insignificant – it is quite wide – 5cm – and deep, 3cm”, reports Breaking News.
He stated that “the custodial threshold is reached due to the seriousness of the offending is concerned”.
Giving evidence, Garda Brion Dolan explained that Mr Lozyuk had been preparing potatoes in the hostel’s kitchen when Mr Drima approached him, reports Breaking News.
Garda Dolan said: “Mr Drima asked the injured party for the key to his bedroom so that Mr Drima could bring a lady back.”
He said Mr Lozyuk “refused to hand over the bedroom keys and there was an argument between both parties”.
Following the dispute, Mr Drima later retrieved a knife and stabbed Mr Lozyuk in the buttocks as he was going up the stairs, reports Breaking News.
The Garda added that Mr Drima admitted during interview that he disliked the victim.
Garda Dolan said the two men had previously shared a room, but Mr Lozyuk was moved to a private room due to his snoring and personal behaviour.
According to Garda Dolan, Mr Drima came to Ireland after leaving Ukraine, having been discharged from the army upon turning 60 in the summer of 2023, reports Breaking News.
Before the conflict, Mr Drima ran an agricultural business in Kherson and had been working as an agri-worker in north Clare at the time of the incident.
Garda Dolan also confirmed that Mr Drima had served eight years and six months in prison in Belgorod, Russia, for theft and robbery starting in 2009, reports Breaking News.
He was released in October 2016, but Mr Drima’s barrister, Patrick Whyms BL (instructed by solicitor Tara Godfrey), said his client maintains his innocence regarding the robbery conviction, claiming he was targeted for being Ukrainian.
Mr Whyms noted that Mr Drima had been dealing with significant stress due to the war, particularly the trauma of shelling, reports Breaking News.
During Garda interviews, Mr Whyms said Mr Drima shared that at the time of the incident, he was thinking “about Ukraine, my mother, my sons in the war, my life and my soul”.
Following the initial charge, Mr Drima was held in custody as he was denied bail in the district court, although he was later granted bail by the High Court.
Judge Comerford postponed sentencing to allow time for a psychiatric evaluation of Mr Drima and scheduled the case for May 30th to set a sentencing date. Mr Drima remains on bail in the meantime, reports Breaking News.
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