Community service for taking part in smash attack on house

By Isabel Hayes

A man who took part in smashing up a car and the downstairs windows of a home has received a sentence of 240 hours community service.

Niall Smyth (30) was one of six men who entered a garden in Tallaght and smashed the windows of a Mini car parked in the driveway before smashing the downstairs window of a house, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.

Smyth, of Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, Dublin, was the only one in the gang whose face was uncovered and as a result, he was identified from CCTV footage of the incident.

He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of criminal damage at Dromcarra Avenue, Tallaght on September 10, 2019.

The court heard the incident stemmed from an altercation that was taking place between Smyth’s family and another family.

The victims in the case did not wish to cooperate with gardaí, although they agreed to leave their home for a period to allow the gathering of evidence.

They did not make a victim impact statement.

Garda Damien Reilly told Diarmuid Collins BL, prosecuting, that during the incident, all of the windows of the car and all of the downstairs windows in the house were smashed by the men, who were armed with various implements.

Smyth was carrying a metal pole and was seen on the CCTV footage taking part in smashing windows.

Sarah Jane O’Callaghan BL, defending, said her client has no criminal history apart from two old road traffic offences in 2011. He is not known to gardaí in Tallaght.

She said Smyth is extremely remorseful and wishes to apologise to the victims in question for the “wanton thuggery and violence” that night.

Sentencing him today, Judge Melanie Greally said that the offending involved acts of considerable violence and resulted in significant damage to the home and property of the victim.

She said she was taking into consideration Smyth’s lack of previous convictions and the fact that he has not come to garda attention since.

She said she also noted his work ethic and employment history.

She ordered that Smyth complete 240 hours of community service.