Jail term handed down for part in attack on Afghani nationals

A man has been jailed for his part in an unprovoked attack on three Afghani nationals, including a 13-year-old boy on a cycling trip in a park.

Christopher Connors (22), of Ballyogan Grove, Carrickmines, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder in Balinteer on May 5th, 2016.

Last December his brother John Connors (20) of the same address and his cousin Joseph Connors (22) of Daltree Place, Ballycullen, Dublin, each received a three-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended by Judge Cormac Quinn. They pleaded guilty to the same offence.

On Tuesday Judge Martin Nolan also sentenced Christopher Connors to three years with the final 18 months suspended after he said he saw no reason to depart from Judge Quinn’s judgment of the case.

Judge Nolan described it as “an unprovoked serious attack” in which Christopher Connors “participated fully”. He noted he was armed with a bottle and that one of the victims was left with a broken nose.

CCTV evidence was gathered from a passing Dublin Bus and several of its passengers recorded the incident on their phones. The footage, which was played in court, shows Christopher Connors striking with a beer bottle and throwing punches and a kick.