Courts

Three youths facing trial over woman being pushed into Royal Canal in Dublin

Gardaí opened investigation after video of 2020 incident near Castleknock widely shared on social media

21/04/2017 STOCK: The Courts of Criminal Justice on Parkgate St. Dublin Photograph: Dave Meehan/The Irish Times The Criminal Courts of Justice Exterior view CCJ

Three youths are facing a trial accused of assault over an incident in which a woman was shoved into a canal in Dublin 15 almost two years ago. Photograph: Dave Meehan

Tom Tuite
Thu Jun 2 2022 - 20:04

Three youths are facing a trial accused of assault over an incident in which a woman was shoved into a canal in Dublin 15 almost two years ago.

Gardaí commenced an investigation after footage emerged on social media of an interaction between a group of teens and a Chinese woman who was knocked into the Royal Canal.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with assaulting the woman (50) at the canal’s 12th Lock in Castleknock on August 14th, 2020.

The case came before Judge Paul Kelly at the Dublin Children’s Court, which heard that the boy, who was in school at the time of Thursday’s hearing, denies the charge.

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A September date was set for the contested hearing and Garda Ross Doyle said the complainant would be available.

Judge Kelly noted that two other teenage boys would also be before the court. The prosecution was based on video footage, “if deemed admissible” evidence, and the injured party would be in the witness box, the court heard.

Judge Kelly held that the 16-year-old would be tried with the other two boys as co-defendants. The court heard that the State would attempt to prove “joint enterprise and common design”.

The boy’s solicitor, Sandra Frayne, said her client was 14 at the time and has since “had to change his entire life over what has happened”.

The charge is under section two of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person 1997 for an assault which did not result in a physical injury. On conviction, it can carry a six-month sentence.

The boy was remanded on continuing bail.

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