Matthew O’Connell and Evan Vella receive suspended sentences over Dublin park attack

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

Matthew O’Connell and Evan Vella received suspended sentences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 12 April 2024 for their roles in an attack on an Italian student in Blackrock, Co Dublin. The attack took place on 27 November 2021. The proceedings were reported on 12 April 2024.

O’Connell pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. Vella pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three-year suspended sentence on O’Connell and ordered him to hand over €5,000 and gather a further €5,000 within a year. He imposed a 16-month suspended sentence on Vella and ordered him to hand over €1,500 within six months to the injured student if he wished to accept it, or alternatively donate it to charity.

The student’s group had been mistakenly accused of throwing a bottle. Vella admitted punching the student once before a later, more serious group assault. The student was chased into the park, tackled to the ground and hit by a group of approximately ten males. He lost two teeth, his jaw was broken in several places, and he sustained nerve damage to his lower lip.

Sergeant Peter Woods agreed with O’Connell’s barrister, Aoife O’Leary, that the victim could not say who inflicted the blows while he was on the ground, when he sustained his most serious injuries. Sgt Woods also agreed that blood on O’Connell’s runners and tracksuit was the only evidence found against him, and that nine others involved were not before the court.

Judge Nolan described O’Connell as a serious actor in the event, while noting his age, family support and the importance of rehabilitation. He noted Vella’s involvement was one punch and considered his good record, young age at the time and stable background.