26
Wayne Gilligan Pleads Guilty to Violent Disorder in Dublin
Wayne Gilligan, 29, from Rosebank Court, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, has pleaded guilty to violent disorder on Euston Street on May 8, 2023.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Incident Overview | Garda Chloe Rochford testified that Gilligan instigated an unprovoked attack on the victim by a group of six men at around 11:30 PM. |
| Initial Attack | Gilligan punched the victim several times to the head and body, causing him to fall to the ground. He then kicked the injured party while he was already down. |
| Escalation | Another male kicked and stamped on the victim, while a third male struck him with a bladed weapon, believed by gardai to be a machete. |
| Further Violence | Gilligan continued his assault, kicking and stampeding on the victim again, while another male also struck the victim. |
| Aftermath | CCTV footage of the incident was played in court. The men fled on foot after the attack, and the injured party got up and later encountered gardai on South Great George’s Street. |
| Victim’s Condition | The victim was taken to the hospital with multiple deep cuts, including to his head and a finger. |
| Victim’s Co-operation | The injured party refused to cooperate with gardai, allowed no access to his medical records, and provided no victim impact statement. |
| Gilligan’s Identification | Gilligan was identified from CCTV footage. He has 137 previous convictions, including for affray, assault, endangerment, and drug offenses. Gilligan is currently in custody with an earliest release date of August 2027. |
| Weapon Involvement | The court heard that Gilligan is the only one of the six men identified. There is no suggestion he used or had a weapon. |
| Garda’s Testimony | Garda Rochford agreed with the defense counsel that the guilty plea was valuable. However, she couldn’t confirm whether the victim’s injuries were only caused by the weapon. |
| Civilian’s Role | While Gilligan’s involvement was brief, he played a significant role in the incident, which caused serious harm to the injured party. |
| Defense Counsel’s Points | The defense outlined that Gilligan qualifications as a bricklayer and had some work history, but addiction issues took over. Gilligan’s offending is linked to his addiction, and he has taken steps to address it. He is engaging with services, has enhanced prisoner status, and is working as a cleaner in custody. |
| Anger Management | The defense stated that Gilligan has completed an anger management course and has provided clean urine samples. |
| Extent of Involvement | The defense counsel emphasized that Gilligan was not a “lone ranger” and was one of six men involved in the “extremely violent incident.” He asked the court not to extend Gilligan’s time in custody or to suspend any portion of the sentence. |
| Judge’s Remarks | Judge Martin Nolan remarked that Gilligan led the attack on the “unfortunate” injured party. The judge noted the reasons behind the attack were unclear, stating, “the court assumes there must have been a reason.” |
| Final Sentencing | After considering the mitigation and Gilligan’s personal circumstances, Judge Nolan imposed a sentence of four years and three months, contradicting the defense’s request not to extend his time in custody. |
SEO Keywords Used:
- Wayne Gilligan
- Violent disorder
- Euston Street
- 2023
- Dublin 22
- Clondalkin
- Garda Chloe Rochford
- Unprovoked attack
- Deep cuts
- CCTV footage
- Victim impact statement
- Convictions
- Affray
- Assault
- Endangerment
- Drug offenses
- Claim
- Defenders declaration
- Anger managemen course
- Clean urine samples
- Sentencing
- Guilty plea