Courts / Dublin / Report

'Senseless, brutal': violent criminal jailed for unprovoked city attack

Date
2024-11-11

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Patrick Byrne, 27, of Cloverhill Road, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two years and nine months in jail for assault causing harm. He pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a 33-year-old man at Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2, on October 15 last year. Judge Orla Crowe described the unprovoked attack, in which Byrne allegedly struck the victim with a bike saddle, as senseless and brutal. The sentence was backdated to the date Byrne first entered custody. Byrne has a history of 36 previous offences, including a suspended six-and-a-half-year sentence for attempted robbery in 2020. Prosecution counsel sought leave to re-mention the case to address whether the offence was committed while Byrne was on that suspended sentence. The matter was adjourned to deal with this procedural issue. Defence counsel acknowledged the assault was vicious but argued it was a case of mistaken identity and noted Byrne's history of drug abuse. The victim stated he now avoids the city centre due to the trauma and visible scarring.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Senseless, brutal': violent criminal jailed for unprovoked city attack. Charges or matters: one count of assault causing harm to the 33-year-old man at Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2 on October 15 last year. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

October 15 Incident
2024-11-11 Publication

Case subjects

Patrick Byrne

Defendant

Charges: one count of assault causing harm to the 33-year-old man at Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2 on October 15 last year (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: She sentenced Byrne to two years and nine months in jail and backdated it to when he first went into custody. Prosecution counsel sought leave to re-mention the case, noting the issue of the offence possibly being carried out while Byrne was on a suspended sentence may need to be dealt with.