Garda pleads guilty to assault causing harm to three people over 11 year period

By Sonya McLean

A Dublin-based garda will be sentenced next January after he admitted six charges of assault causing harm to three named people over an 11-year period.

Mark Doyle (38), who was stationed in Dublin and is currently suspended, pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday to four charges of assault causing harm to a woman on dates between May 8, 2010 and August 28, 2019.

He further pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a male on September 3, 2017 and assault causing harm to a second male on unknown dates between 2008 and 2009.

Dean Kelly SC, prosecuting, said the pleas were acceptable to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Judge Orla Crowe set a sentence date of January 29, 2024, when all evidence in the case will be heard.

She ordered victim impact statements for that date and remanded Doyle on continuing bail.