Rush teenager to be sentenced for assaulting two gardaí

A TEENAGER who attacked and injured two gardaí has been remanded on bail pending sentence next June.

Dylan Thomas (19), of Palmer Avenue, Rush, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Stephen Harte, causing him harm, and assaulting Garda Keith Delaney on May 2, 2015. He has no previous convictions.

Sergeant Liam Cummins told Lorcan Staines BL, prosecuting, that gardaí were called to a public order incident at Swords Town Park and Gda Delaney tried to get Thomas to leave the area.

The teenager became aggressive and abusive and pushed the Garda. The officer tried to handcuff him but Thomas punched him to the face, knocked him to the ground and then fell on top of the Garda.

He continued to punch his head and face and kicked him about the body.

Gda Delaney managed to handcuff Thomas and he was taken to Swords Garda Station. The officer was left with bruising to his eyes and legs.

While in the station Thomas continued to be aggressive and started to lash out in his cell when gardaí attempted to take a hoodie off him to search him.

One Garda wrestled him to a bunk but Thomas kicked out and one of the kicks connected with Gda Harte’s right knee causing him to fall to the ground.

Gda Harte limped out of the cell but continued his shift until 7am the following morning when, after noticing how bruised and swollen his knee was, he left work to get treated.

A medical report concluded that damage had been caused to the cartilage and ligaments in his knee which affected his ability to bear weight on the leg. He was put in a brace for six weeks and was out of work for 10. He had to use a crutch for a short time after the brace and still attended for physiotherapy.

Sgt Cummins said Gda Harte chose not to make a victim impact report but he was present in court.

He agreed with Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, that an hour after the assault, Thomas was passed out in his cell.

He met with him the following day after he was released to arrest him over the more serious assault and agreed with counsel that he was “most definitely” a far different man.

Sgt Cummins said he was aware that the teenager was involved in boxing. He accepted that Thomas wanted to express his apologies to both Gda Harte and Gda Delaney.

Mr Le Vert said his client was a young person who was very heavily intoxicated at the time.

He handed a psychologist report into the court for Judge Melanie Greally to consider.

Counsel said there were a number of concerns raised in the report and suggested that it was obvious “why things have taken the course they have”.

He said Thomas was expelled from school for fighting but said he claimed he was standing up for someone who was being bullied.

Mr Le Vert said Thomas had difficulty with “alcohol, possibly cannabis and most likely authority”.

“He now has a lack of structure in his day for a 19-year-old man,” counsel added.

Judge Greally agreed, saying that the report “screams for intervention”. She adjourned the case to June 7 next and ordered a probation report for that date.

Sonya McLean