Joshua Rush sentenced to six and a half years for manslaughter

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

Joshua Rush was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six and a half years’ imprisonment for the manslaughter of Charles McCaughley, with the final 18 months suspended subject to conditions including Probation Service supervision for 18 months after his release. Rush had pleaded guilty to manslaughter over an incident at Fairview Strand, Dublin, on 7 June 2021. The sentencing proceedings were reported on 5 May 2026.

A witness told gardaí that he saw Rush use a spinning kick on McCaughley, causing him to fall on his back. McCaughley died on 26 June 2021 from a traumatic brain injury caused by a fall to the back of his head.

Rush told gardaí that McCaughley had spat at him and made threatening remarks. He said he was acting in self-defence when he kicked him, an assertion the court heard was accepted by gardaí. The court was also told there was no independent witness to the alleged spitting.

Sentencing Rush, Judge Martina Baxter described the confrontation as unprovoked and said he deliberately kicked a defenceless person. She described his account, including the alleged spitting, as self-serving, noting that Rush and the two other men had crossed the road to where McCaughley was walking and that a witness said McCaughley was wearing a face mask. She treated Rush’s leaving McCaughley on the path as highly aggravating, while taking account of mitigating factors including his lack of previous convictions and genuine remorse.