Courts / Dublin / Report

Tourists hit in face with pool cue in unprovoked attack

Date
2019-02-08

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Smithfield

County
Dublin

Summary

In 2016, an English tourist and a Finnish woman were attacked at Dublin's Generator Hostel when a man struck them with a pool cue. The tourist, Paul Maguire, suffered a deep 4‑cm wound to his chin, while the woman received a scar on her forehead. Both were taken to Mater Hospital; the tourist required stitches and endured pain for days. Maguire, aged 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm. He had 26 prior convictions. The court accepted his offer of €5,000, to be donated to Temple Street Children's Hospital, as a mitigating factor, though the victims declined the money. The case was adjourned to May 9 for sentencing pending a probation report. The judge described the assault as an "outrageous outburst of impatience and anger" toward unsuspecting tourists. The incident left the tourist's view of Ireland tainted and made him apprehensive about returning. The woman's scar caused her embarrassment.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Tourists hit in face with pool cue in unprovoked attack. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

June 1, 2016 Incident
May 9 Adjournment
2019-02-08 Publication

Case subjects

Paul Maguire

Defendant

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: The case was adjourned until May 9 for sentence, pending the preparation of a probation report.; The case was adjourned until May 9 for sentence, pending the preparation of a probation report.