Courts / Dublin / Report

Victim dropped out of college after traumatic assault

Date
2021-01-19

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Dean Fitzpatrick, aged 28, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after punching David Curran on Grafton Street on 15 February 2017. Curran suffered a broken nose, three jaw fractures and a fracture above his eye, requiring surgery and extensive stitches. The assault left him with lasting nerve damage, forced him to drop out of college and lose his degree, and caused a significant increase in his anxiety and depression. Fitzpatrick was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended on the condition that he engage with Probation Services and addiction treatment for 12 months. The judge also noted Fitzpatrick's 70 prior convictions, including assault, theft, public order and road traffic offences. The case highlighted the severe physical and psychological impact of the assault on the victim.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Victim dropped out of college after traumatic assault. Charges or matters: assault causing harm at Grafton Street on February 15, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

February 15, 2017 Incident
2021-01-19 Publication

Why: He needed surgery to insert plates into his jaw and received many stitches to his face for cuts from the attack and for wounds that were necessary because of the surgery. CNI source report

Case subjects

Dean Fitzpatrick

Defendant

Charges: assault causing harm at Grafton Street on February 15, 2017 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Melanie Greally suspended the final 12 months of a sentence of a three and a half years imprisonment on condition that Fitzpatrick engage with the Probation Services for 12 months and work particularly with addiction treatment.