Man charged with being one of three who kicked and threw homeless man down stairs of Cork rail station

Bail was refused for a 34-year-old man who was charged with being one of three men involved in an attack on a homeless 52-year-old man at Kent railway station who was thrown down stairs, punched and kicked and left unconscious.

Detective Garda Martina Drew objected to bail being granted to 34-year-old Karl Ryan of no fixed address.

Eddie Burke called Mr Ryan to give evidence in his bail application at Cork District Court and put to him the concerns that the gardaí had about him being released.

“If you are granted bail, that you will end up drinking and getting into trouble again?” 

Karl Ryan replied: 

“That is not going to happen. I am trying my best, I don’t want to be living like this at all.” 

Judge Mary Dorgan refused bail and remanded the accused in custody until December 10.

Judge Dorgan said: “It is alleged that the victim was left unconscious and that it happened at Kent railway station where people are coming and going. The nature of the evidence is very strong – that the injured party was kicked and hit in the head a couple of times by all three males and that this gentleman was clearly identified and caught red-handed.” 

Mr Burke said the accused was not using hostel accommodation but using the accommodation placement services of Cork City Council.

The prosecution evidence was that the injured party said he had been walking through Kent station when he was attacked by three males, thrown and kicked down two flights of stairs. 

The injured party tried to get away from the three men and he was pursued in the corridor under Kent station and knocked to the ground, where he was kicked and hit into the head and body a number of times by all three males. 

CCTV captured the assault and showed that the injured party was left in an unconscious state on the ground.