Spurned youth (16) subjected girl to attack on Dublin street

A Dublin youth, who subjected a teenage girl to a horrific attack after she rejected his advances after meeting through Facebook friends, has been warned he faces a one-year custodial sentence.

The youth, then aged 16, punched and repeatedly kicked the teenage girl in the head during the attack on a street in Dublin’s north inner city on a date in September 2014.

He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm.

The Dublin Children’s Court heard the unprovoked attack happened after they met through Facebook friends.

The court was told he walked with her from the city centre. However, when he made an advance, which was spurned by the girl, he punched and kicked her in the head a number of times. She was bleeding and hospitalised with head and facial injuries, which required stitches, the court was told.

The girl has provided a victim-impact statement, and Judge John O’Connor remarked on Thursday she had a “horrific time and a life-changing experience”. He described as moving the girl’s statement and the impact of the attack on her life.

The court heard that the youth, now 18, had issues with substance abuse and no prior criminal convictions. He has not come to Garda attention since.

Missed appointments

Judge O’Connor said that since the teenager entered a guilty plea earlier this year, he had missed three out of his six appointments with the Probation Service, which had been asked to provide the court with a pre-sentence report.

Defence counsel Tessa White said the man struggles to express himself and she asked for him to be given a chance to take part in counselling. During a recess in the hearing on Thursday, he tried to write a letter of apology to the victim but was unable to do it, counsel said. "While he acknowledges his actions, he has an awkwardness with expressing emotions," she said.

Judge O’Connor said a letter of apology was not sufficient and the teenager had already been warned at an earlier sitting that he could get a 12-month sentence.

The assailant’s mother asked if compensation could be given to the victim. Judge O’Connor said the issue of compensation could be dealt with by the Probation Service.

He warned the youth he “has eight weeks to turn it around” and a 100 per cent positive probation report would be necessary otherwise he will get the custodial sentence.