Man avoids jail for his part in vicious revenge attack

By Declan Brennan

A man has received a suspended sentence for his part in a vicious revenge attack on a man who had allegedly assaulted a female relative.

Dubliner Glen Concannon (24) was one of a group of men who attacked Aaron Tyrell because Concannon believed the victim had attacked a member of his family a week earlier.

Concannon was in a car driving around while others chased Mr Tyrell until they caught him outside Ballymun garda station.

The group then punched and kicked the victim around the body and head in an attack that lasted under a minute.

Gardai heard the commotion outside and found the victim lying unconscious on the footpath. The victim was hospitalised, but did not engage with the investigation and did not make a victim impact statement.

Concannon of Silloge Gardens, Ballymun pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on August 23, 2020.

Garda Peter Elliot said that Concannon has no other criminal records and has expressed genuine remorse about his involvement in the attack.

He agreed with defence counsel Michael Hourigan BL that Concannon is a working man and a family man and that this offending was completely out of character for him.

Judge Melanie Greally said this was a vicious and extremely violent assault which was planned. She said the victim was exposed to a risk of very serious injury.

She said the testimonials on behalf of the defendant from previous employers, family members, and a local youth project, spoke of a “hard working, diligent employee and a caring responsible partner”.

She accepted he is very remorseful. She noted also the mitigating factors of his early plea of guilty, his lack of previous convictions and the “very low risk of reoffending”.

She suspended a two-year prison sentence on condition he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for that period.