Sacked car wash worker stabbed his ex-employer while attempting to break into his home
A sacked car wash worker stabbed his former employer and his nephew after attempting to enter their home through an upstairs window, Roscommon Circuit Court has heard.
George Toma of no fixed abode pleaded guilty to trespassing with a knife, burglary, production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury, and assault causing harm to Mircea Maties and Darius Maties.
The court heard that Toma was having financial issues in his native Romania when he was hired by Mircea Maties to work at his car wash business in Brackernagh, Ballinasloe, Co Galway.
He was initially housed in an apartment with another employee and began working at Crystal Clean Car Wash. He received a €1,000 loan to help his financial situation, which he paid back in €100 deductions from his weekly wages.
On December 10, 2024, Mercia Maties terminated Toma's employment after becoming suspicious that Toma was stealing from the business while he was away. Mr Maties said that the number of cars being washed did not correspond with the records kept on the premises and that the CCTV had been turned off.
Later that day at 7.20pm Toma broke the lock and gained access to the premises and slept the night there. Toma charged his phone overnight before leaving at 7am the following morning with a knife he took from the premises.
Roscommon Courthouse
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On December 15, Toma gained access to 9 Gleann Ard, Ballaghaderreen - a property maintained and managed by Mr Mercia Maties for a Dublin-based company - and took a two-metre ladder from the premises.
At approximately 4am that morning, the 47-year-old used the ladder to climb up to an upstairs window of Mercia Maties' home at 7 Gleann Ard, Ballaghaderreen.
Darius Maties, a nephew of Mercia Maties, woke to the sound of Toma attempting to pry open the window. Mercia Maties, his wife and seven-year-old daughter were also in the house at the time.
Recognising Toma, Darius Maties screamed and told his uncle that Toma was outside his bedroom window.
Mercia Maties went downstairs and retrieved a baseball bat as Toma attempted to enter through the window.
Upon seeing Toma, Mercia Maties shouted at Toma, who fell off the ladder and landed on the ground in front of the patio window.
Mercia Maties went downstairs and saw Toma moaning on the ground and went to check on him. Toma then drove a knife at Mercia Maties, stabbing him in the chest through his t-shirt.
He told his nephew to get back into the house before Toma attempted to enter the house via the patio door.
Toma managed to get part of his body inside the patio door and began swinging the knife. Darius Maties was stabbed in the shoulder during the exchange before they forced Toma out of the room. Toma then left the scene.
Merica Maties' wife called the emergency services and both men were conveyed to hospital via ambulance. Merica Maties required stitches for his wounds while Darius Maties was left with a minor scar at the top of his arm. They were released from hospital the following day.
When cautioned before being arrested at Pound Street, Ballaghaderreen, at approximately 8pm that evening, Toma said: 'Problem with boss, no money for me.'
He was conveyed to Castlerea Garda Station where he was interviewed twice. He cooperated fully with gardaí.
During his interview, Toma claimed he had gone to the house to retrieve €10 of stolen jewellery and cash he claimed he was owed by Mercia Maties.
He maintained that Mercia Maties had exploited him during his employment and that he stabbed him accidentally on the night he attempted to enter his house.
Toma later pleaded guilty to all charges on June 18, 2025. He has no previous convictions and had been living in Ireland for approximately six months at the time of his offences.
The court heard that Toma has a wife and child living in Romania and had been sending money to them while employed by Mercia Maties.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mercia Maties said he lived in constant fear that his attacker would return to the house since the event. A separate victim impact statement from his wife heard that she had been diagnosed with post traumatic stressed disorder since the incident.
Darius Maties said he had experienced persistent fear anxiety and difficulty sleeping since the incident. He has been prescribed diazepam to treat his stress and has experienced memory lapses and had difficulty concentrating.
Defending barrister Mr Rob Lowe, BL, said his client was the father of an eight-year-old child with a good work ethic and said he intended to return to Romania.
Judge Kenneth Connolly remanded Toma in custody to appear before Longford District Court on July 30 for sentencing.
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