A 17-YEAR-OLD youth has been sent forward for trial accused of taking part in what was described as a “vicious” attack by a group of youths on a college student.
The south Dublin youth was charged at the Children’s Court with assault causing harm to the student and committing a violent disorder at Wexford Street, on January 9th last.
In an outline of the allegations, Garda Wayne Carey said: “The accused took part, with six others, in a vicious, unprovoked, pre-planned attack on a 26-year-old man.” Garda Carey said the incident began when the man was repeatedly pelted with eggs.
Judge Bryan Smyth was told that an unknown person then hit the man from the side. “He was knocked in a daze and savagely beaten with kicks and punches,” said Garda Carey.
A woman, who witnessed the attack, tried to break it up by banging on a car to get their attention and she shouted at the group to leave the man alone.
They moved away leaving the student “in a daze with his jacket pulled over his head”.
Garda Carey said it was alleged that at this point, “the accused returned to the male and gave him one final kick to the back while he lay on the ground bleeding”.
Judge Smyth said the case was too serious to be dealt with in the Children’s Court and should be sent to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.
The teenager, who was accompanied in court by his mother, was served with a book of evidence and the judge made an order sending him forward for trial.
A co-defendant, also aged 17, who is charged with violent disorder, was also returned for trial.
Both youths are subject to bail conditions including curfews and have been warned they must not interfere with witnesses.