Three young men filmed themselves laughing and showing their bloodied fists after a “violent rampage” of assaults on bystanders in Dublin city centre, a court has heard.
Gardaí arrested Harry Walsh (18), Gordon Robinson (20) and Darragh Smith (20) after viewing CCTV of seven separate incidents of violent disorder and assaults on eight members of the public.
Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five-year sentence on Robinson and a four-year jail term on Smith on Monday. The final 12 months of each sentence suspended. She adjourned Walsh’s sentencing until July.
Video footage taken from Robinson’s phone, which was played in court, showed the three laughing together after their final assault.
Garda Brian O’Reilly pointed out visible damage to Robinson’s and Walsh’s hands in the clip, which was addressed to a fourth youth who had been in their company at the start of the offending. This man is currently before the courts for his role.
Unconscious
Garda O’Reilly told Ronan Kennedy BL, prosecuting, that one victim of the group suffered a shattered eye socket and a fractured cheekbone, another man’s jaw was broken and a third victim had teeth knocked out. He said another injured party was left face-down unconscious on the ground and a different man suffered cracked ribs.
Walsh, of Woodfield, Knocklyon; Robinson, of Allenton Avenue, Tallaght; and Smith, of Brehons Chair, Kellystown Road, Rathfarnham, all pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm at Camden Street, Harcourt Street and Montague Street between 3am and 4am on November 3rd, 2017.
Walsh also pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to criminal damage of a €1,000 Samsung phone belonging to one of the assault victims at Camden Row on the same date.
He has five previous convictions, including for assault causing harm and driving offences, while Robinson and Smith have none.
Judge Greally noted that the three assailants had raised €11,000 between them as compensation for their victims. She directed that this be used to offset any medical expenses incurred, with the remaining balance then divided equally among the injured parties.
She described the incident as an hour-long “violent rampage” and that due to its extreme nature, she had to impose custodial sentences.
She noted that Smith did not engage in the more serious violence, but added that it was “clear all three were operating as a unit with common intent to injure unsuspecting people”.
The judge said Robinson was the instigator of many of the offences.