A TEENAGER who along with three others attacked a college student which led to him falling from a window on the top floor of a Dublin bus has been given a suspended sentence.
Judge Frank O’Donnell described the incident as an “ultimate nightmare”, and said the four, all members of the Traveller community, “were acting as locusts”.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to three years’ detention which Judge O’Donnell suspended on condition he be of good behaviour for five years and liaise with the probation service. He has no previous convictions.
Michael Tyser Connors (19), of Daletree Place, Daletree Estate, Ballycullen, received three years’ detention, while another accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, received a three-year suspended sentence. The final male, who also cannot be named, has been remanded on bail, and is due for sentence next month.
They all pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder at Belgard Square West on October 20th, 2006. Connors has seven previous convictions, while one of the others has three previous convictions and another has one.
Garda Padraig Murphy told Garrett Baker, prosecuting, the victim, Philip King, was in hospital for six days after he fell. He had still not returned to UCD, where he was studying architecture, as this was the only bus available to him and he did not want to go on it again.
One witness said he saw Mr King being attacked by seven or eight youths and he managed to pull two or three off the man. He then saw one of the group deliver “a push-front kick” and he heard the window on the bus shatter before Mr King fell through it.