Dary Sharif jailed for violent disorder at Luas stop

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

Dary Sharif was sentenced on 17 May 2018 to two-and-a-half years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. Judge Cormac Quinn passed sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Sharif pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Milltown Luas stop. The offence took place on 5 April 2015. The proceedings were reported on 17 May 2018.

Sharif had been targeted in a knife attack and sustained 14 stab wounds. Daryl Smith was brought to the ground by a security guard and was kicked by Sharif and two other men. Smith suffered life-threatening injuries and later underwent brain surgery.

Sean Guerin SC, defending Sharif, submitted that the initial blows were self-defence, struck as Smith tried to get up. He said Sharif’s later blows were an unlawful but understandable reaction by a man at least partially in shock. Guerin submitted that blows by the other co-accused may have caused Smith’s injury and that Sharif was not necessarily responsible for it.

Judge Quinn said Sharif was entitled to claim self-defence to some extent after a frenzied knife attack and severe provocation. He considered whether Sharif had crossed from being an injured party to committing violent disorder. The judge reduced a four-year headline sentence because of mitigating factors including Sharif’s rehabilitation efforts and good behaviour since the offence.

Smith had pleaded guilty to violent disorder and had been sentenced earlier in 2018 to five years, with the final two suspended. Robert Power had been convicted by a jury of violent disorder and assault on a Luas security guard and was awaiting sentence on 30 May 2018. Two co-accused present with Sharif had received one-year suspended sentences.