17-year-old girl jailed for violent disorder

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A 17-year-old girl was sentenced by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three years’ detention for violent disorder, with the final 15 months suspended. The suspension was conditional on her engaging with the Probation Service for 15 months after release.

She pleaded guilty to violent disorder. The offence occurred in Temple Bar on 23 July 2014. The proceedings were reported on 30 June 2016.

The court heard that CCTV showed her kicking and stamping on Marcus Guimaraes’s head 15 times. She told gardaí on arrest that she had no recollection of the night and felt sick after seeing herself attacking him on the footage.

Garda Maria O'Hara said she was certain the girl was the person shown delivering the kicks and stamps. Mr Guimaraes suffered two black and bloodshot eyes, a swollen nose and a swollen face. He was kept in hospital for observation but did not require medical treatment.

The girl had 26 previous convictions for assault, violent behaviour in a Garda station and theft. Garda O'Hara agreed with Luigi Rea BL, defending, that she had made positive changes and no longer abused alcohol. She accepted that the teenager had no drug problem.

Defence counsel said she had completed catering courses and was expecting a child. He acknowledged an inappropriate short fuse but said she was beginning to address it.

Two young men who also pleaded guilty to the violent disorder were sentenced by Judge Nolan on 28 June 2016. Each received four years, with the final 18 months suspended.