Teenager who took part in an assault given a suspended sentence

By Niamh O’Donoghue and Fiona Ferguson

A teenager who took part in an assault where the victim’s face was slashed with a bottle has been given a suspended sentence.

The teenager, who was 16 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of assault causing harm at Store Street, Dublin 1, on June 22, 2025. He has no previous convictions and has recently turned 18.

The court heard the 25-year-old victim was attacked by three individuals following a Dublin match in Croke Park the previous day.

Detective Garda Gary Brennan gave evidence at a hearing in July that the then 16-year-old was identified from CCTV on Store Street in the city centre.

The injured party was walking on Foley Street when he became involved in a verbal altercation. CCTV was shown to the court of the victim continuing down Foley Street.

Det Gda Brennan said there were three suspects, one of them was before the court and the other is unidentified.

The boy was seen picking up a glass bottle and throwing it at the injured party. Then another suspect is seen running after the injured party. There was no direct evidence of this accused stabbing him.

The injured party told gardai “two or three lads were attacking me”. He said they “cut me all over”.  He said he fell on his face and his ankle “hasn’t been the same since”.

The injured party said two of the three were swinging at him with a bottle. An ambulance brought him to hospital and he was discharged following day.

The teenager was identified by three separate gardai. He has no previous convictions but was known to the gardai.

Judge Martin Nolan at a previous hearing described it as a serious assault where “this defendant equipped himself with a broken bottle”. He the motive was unclear but it seems to have started as a verbal altercation.

Although he said he did not have the benefit of a victim impact statement, Judge Nolan noted the injured party was hospitalised, received extensive stitching and would be left with scarring.

He noted the boy “comes from a good family” adding “he has an apprenticeship available to him and has a future”.

The judge said that, if the defendant was older, “custody would be almost automatic”.

However, he added that custody should be avoided where possible and questioned whether it was necessary for the boy’s reform.

The judge said what the youth did on the night was “malicious” but noted he had no previous convictions.

“Reform and change can be accomplished by another means,” Judge Nolan said.

The judge said it could be dealt with in a non-custodial way.

Judge Nolan imposed a two year suspended sentence on condition the defendant undergo probation supervision.

He warned him that if he reoffended there was every likelihood he would go to prison.

“Your future is in your own hands at this point,” he told the teenager.