Suspended sentence for man who kicked victim in head

By Sonya McLean

A young man who was remanded in custody for two days has been given a suspended sentence for his role in an unprovoked attack that involved the victim being kicked in the head while he lay on the ground.

Kian Gill (22) of Beaufield Park, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting the teenager causing him harm at Sutton Cross, Dublin on July 18, 2022.

Gill has no previous convictions and had never come to garda attention before. An appeal on RTE’s Crimecall led to Gill being identified as a person of interest and his ultimate arrest.

The court heard Gill is currently living in a hostel, having previously been housed in emergency accommodation with his brother and mother. He had previously received assistance from the gardaí as a juvenile.

After hearing evidence on Wednesday this week, Judge Martin Nolan, revoked Gill’s bail and remanded him in custody for sentence.

Sentencing him on Friday, Judge Nolan handed down a sentence of two years suspended on a number of conditions, noting Gill would go back into custody if he breached any of the conditions.

Garda Mark O’Brien told Edward O’Mahony BL, prosecuting, that a number of teenagers had been socialising that day. There was a dispute between a group of youths in a nearby takeaway restaurant which then led to the victim being attacked outside. 

CCTV footage was played for the court which showed Gill kicking the victim in the head as he lay on the ground.

The victim was later treated in hospital for a cut to his head. He lost consciousness briefly.

Gda O’Brien agreed with Vanessa Frawley BL, defending, that her client did not strike the first blow.

Gill was arrested after he was nominated as a suspect following the appeal on Crimecall. He made no admissions during a subsequent interview.

Ms Frawley accepted that her client had acted disgracefully but put it down to “extreme immaturity at the time”. She said he had “a turbulent living situation” but is currently saving to try and secure accommodation. She said he is working as an apprentice carpenter.