Suspect charged after central Dublin assault leaves man in critical condition

A man has been charged by gardaí investigating an attack in central Dublin in the early hours of Sunday which left the victim in a critical condition.

The injured man (20s) suffered skull and brain injuries when he was assaulted at the junction of D’Olier Street and Fleet Street at around 2.30am.

He was taken by ambulance to St James's Hospital. However, The Irish Times understands that due to the seriousness of his condition he was later transfered to Beaumont Hospital, which specialises in the treatment of head injuries.

The scene of the attack was sealed off when gardaí and paramedics arrived at about 2.30am and it has since undergone a full forensic examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.

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It appears a number of people were on D’Olier St at the time when a man in a car got out of the vehicle and assaulted the victim. The motivation for the attack was not immediately clear.

"In a follow-up operation, a search of a house was conducted under warrant in Co Kildare by investigating gardaí and a man in his 30s was arrested in connection with the incident," a Garda spokesman said.

The suspect, who was being held at Pearse Street Garda station under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, is due to appear before the courts on Monday.

Anyone who was in the D’Olier/Fleet Stret area at the time, or those with video or dash cam footage, is asked to contact Pearse Street Garda station on (01) 6669000 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.

The attack was the third recent serious assault in south central Dublin and followed a suspected homophobic attack last weekend and the beating of an Italian man just minutes earlier, both around the Dame Street area.

Evan Somers (23) was attacked on Dame Street at about 3.30am last Sunday. Mr Somers, who is gay, said a stranger called him a "f****t" and then assaulted him on the street. He said he suffered a fractured eye socket and two fractures to his ankle. One of his ankles was dislocated and Mr Somers also suffered what he called "some other minor injuries".

Gardaí suspect the initial attack on Mr Somers, by one man, was a hate crime. However, they are working on the theory that a number of other men joined the attack and it was less clear if their actions were homophobic in nature.

Just minutes before Mr Somers was attacked, a group of young men assaulted an Italian man, on Dame Street. Gardaí believe that group then happened upon the assault on Mr Somers and joined the attack.