Night-time workers must be protected, judge says

PEOPLE employed in the night-time economy need to be able to go to and from work in safety, a sentencing judge said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Helen Boyle made these comments when three young men came before the court for their part in incidents where large groups of youths attacked men on their way home in three different incidents in the city.

In one incident, staff at a licensed premises were walking home on St. Augustine Street, Cork, after 2am on October 16 2021.

Garda Pat Dilworth said that a week later —after 2am on October 23 2021 — two off-duty gardaí were set upon by eleven youths. They were punched and kicked and violently set upon. One of them had his garda ID and phone taken from him. Attempts were made to rob the second off-duty garda of his badge also.

Judge Boyle said an aggravating factor in this case was the fact that the attack continued even after the youths discovered that the two men were off-duty gardaí.

In a third incident a junior doctor was attacked by a teenager as he walked home after work during on the same morning — October 23 2021 — when the jazz weekend was on in Cork. He was chased by a large group of teenagers who attacked the doctor’s housemates who came out of their house to assist him at Mardyke Walk, Cork.

Garda Dilworth said the doctor had been walking home when he was confronted by two people in the group and assaulted, cut over the eye and then chased by the larger group.

“When he got to the house, people came out of the house to his aid. The group then set upon the five junior doctors,” Garda Dilworth said.

Judge Helen Boyle said the off-duty gardaí should not have been attacked in the first place but that it should certainly have stopped when they showed their garda IDs.

One juvenile — who cannot be named as he is still under the age of 18 — was put on a probation bond for two years for his part in the incidents. 21-year-old Graham Hurley of 13 Mount St Joseph’s Avenue, Gurranabraher, Cork, was given a two-year suspended jail term for his part in the incidents.

His brother, Dylan Hurley, 20, of the same address had sentencing in his case adjourned until November 16 as Judge Boyle said to him that he must comply with the directions of the probation service.