A youth accused of leaving a man in a critical condition after an alleged “random” single-punch attack in Dublin has been released on bail.
Scott Cahill, 18, of St James’s Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, is charged with assault causing harm. The alleged victim, 48, was left with a bleed on the brain and “life-changing injuries” after an incident at Cook Street on Wednesday evening. Mr Cahill appeared before Judge Maire Conneely at Dublin District Court today and faced objections to bail. Detective Garda Mark Dennehy cited the seriousness of the case, and he voiced witness interference concerns.
He said the incident happened at about 6.15 pm when the accused and two females who were known to him walked along Cook Street. Detective Garda Dennehy alleged that as Cahill walked past the man, he “believed he [the man] took a dislike to him by the way the injured party was looking at him”.
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The court heard it was claimed Mr Cahill took his backpack and threw it up onto a tree, and when the man tried to retrieve it, he was punched and fell to the ground. An ambulance brought him to St James’s Hospital, but he left before being treated and went to the South Circular Road, where he fell unconscious.
Judge Conneely heard the man was discovered to have a bleed on the brain and a fractured skull. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital for emergency surgery and remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit. Detective Garda Dennehy believed further serious charges would be brought, and the case would be sent forward for trial on indictment at a higher level.
He said: “A member of the public was randomly assaulted in what appears to be a completely unprovoked assault”. Detective Garda Dennehy said the prognosis was “not good”, and the man was “left with life-changing injuries even if his condition improves”.
The court heard it was alleged that there was CCTV evidence and an independent witness. The accused was arrested and gave his account the following day, disputing claims the incident was unprovoked.
Detective Garda Dennehy feared an attempt to interfere with key prosecution witnesses, particularly the two females because gardai had not yet located or spoken to them. Cross-examined by defence counsel Garrett Casey, he agreed Mr Cahill was presumed innocent and could face a year in custody awaiting trial if denied bail.
The officer agreed with the barrister that the accused did not know the independent witness, and “my client said this was not a completely unprovoked and random assault”. The court heard the teenage defendant would agree to any terms set down by the court.
Judge Conneely granted bail with conditions. He has to obey a curfew, hand over his passport, not have contact with the two female witnesses before gardai have spoken to them, sign on daily at his local Garda station and remain out of the Dublin 8 area.
He was remanded on a €300 bond to appear again on September 15 for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Legal aid was granted to the out-of-work accused after the judge noted he was on the Jobseeker’s Allowance.
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