Boiling water poured over woman during ‘extreme violence’ incident, court told

An 18-year-old charged over a two-hour “extreme violence” incident, in which a woman was beaten and had boiling water poured over her, has been released on bail.

Josh Conlan, of Meath Place, Dublin 8, was charged on Tuesday at Dublin District Court with assault causing harm on November 11th last.

There were objections to bailing the father of one due to the seriousness of the case and witness intimidation concerns. Two other men, aged in their 20s and 30s, were previously taken into custody on connected charges.

Garda David O’Reilly told Judge Treasa Kelly that the accused and an associate called to the Dublin 8 home of the complainant and her partner, who it was alleged owed a debt.

The court heard the woman’s hands were put on a table and that Mr Conlan handed a boiled a kettle to a co-accused, who poured four cups of water on to them.

Garda O’Reilly said a scarf was used to stop the woman screaming and that Mr Conlan was allegedly instructed to break off a table leg, which was used to strike the woman and her partner during the “two-hour unprovoked attack”. They allegedly left telling her they would be back to collect the debt.

Petrified

The complainant told the court she was “absolutely petrified” and Garda O’Reilly said the incident “demonstrated a propensity for extreme violence”.

Mr Conlan made no admissions during interviews with gardaí and has not yet indicated how he will plead.

The Garda agreed with defence solicitor Mervyn Harnett that the accused denied pouring the water. However, he allegedly did put himself at the scene. The investigating officer accepted that the accused was not believed to be the ring-leader.

Judge Kelly released Mr Conlan on his bond of €300, but ordered him to stay away from parts of the Dublin 8. She said he must reside with his partner in west Dublin, be contactable by mobile phone, obey an 11pm to 6am curfew and have no contact with the complainant or witnesses. He was remanded him on bail to appear in court again in January.