Former couple sentenced for late night Luas assault

A FORMER couple who smashed beer bottles over a man’s head in a “frenzied” assault on a late night Luas have been given partially suspended four-year sentences.

Aoife Molloy (24) and Martin O’Connor (25) claimed they “snapped” when their victim “retaliated” after being kicked by Molloy as he tried to get to his feet after slipping when the tram jolted.

The 46-year-old man suffered a fractured eye socket as well as wounds to his scalp and lip.

Molloy, of South Circular Road, and O’Connor, of Elmdale Park, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Noel O’Rourke, violent disorder and production of a Budweiser bottle on an outbound Luas red line between the Smithfield and Museum stops on December 11, 2014.

Molloy has seven previous convictions and O’Connor has six. They were identified by gardaí from CCTV footage of the attack and DNA evidence from the beer bottles. Both accused, who are no longer in a relationship, said they were intoxicated and expressed remorse for the attack.

Judge James O’Donohue imposed a sentence of four years on O’Connor and suspended the final two. He imposed a sentence of four years on Molloy and suspended the final 18 months on condition she pay over €3,000 to her victim.

He said it was impossible to tell from the CCTV what went on in the “banter” between the parties prior to the assault but whatever it was, the physical reaction was way out of proportion.

Judge O’Donohue said it seemed to him Molloy was more culpable as the instigator of the violence and had participated in the assault to a further extent by jabbing him with a bottle.

Defence counsel for the pair had asked the court to consider community service or referring the case to the Probation Service. They outlined difficulties in their clients’ backgrounds and the fact that neither had any history of violent offending.

Fiona Ferguson