Courts / Ireland / Report
Man accused of assault when he was teenager bids to halt prosecution over delay
Summary
The 19‑year‑old accused of assaulting a male in a 2020 incident now seeks to halt his criminal trial in the High Court, arguing that the prosecution has been delayed by 43 months. He was 15 when the alleged altercation near a railway station occurred, and was arrested, fingerprinted and interviewed by Gardai shortly thereafter. Despite this, he was not charged until September 2023, when he was 18 and no longer protected by the Children's Act. He claims the Director of Public Prosecutions failed to secure an expeditious trial, and that the delay is "inexcusable" and "unexplained". Represented by James Dwyer SC and Sarah Connolly BL, he has brought judicial review proceedings to restrain further prosecution. Ms Justice Niamh Hyland granted permission to proceed on an ex‑parte basis, with the matter to be returned to a date next month.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man accused of assault when he was teenager bids to halt prosecution over delay. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- September 2023 Incident
- October 2023 Incident
- 2024-02-19 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Places mentioned
- High Court
- Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
Stage Charge Or Pretrial Violent Crime
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