Teen Gang Assaults Indian Student with Steel Vice Grips on Dublin Luas
Three teenagers, aged 15 and two 17-year-olds, faced a preliminary hearing in the Dublin Children’s Court for allegedly assaulting a 20-year-old Indian student on the Red Line Luas on December 5th, 2022. The attackers surrounded the victim, kicking and punching him in an unprovoked “pile-in” attack, and one of them reportedly used steel vice grips to strike the victim’s head multiple times.
During the hearing, Garda Jason Curran presented CCTV evidence that captured the incident, showing the assailants, who had covered their faces, planning the attack before surrounding and assaulting the student. The footage revealed over 20 punches and kicks, with one of the attackers using railings in the tram to enhance his position for kicking. The assailant with the vice grips reportedly brought it down forcefully on the victim’s head four times, elevating the severity of the assault.
The girl in the group attempted to intervene but was unsuccessful, and the assault concluded only when another passenger stepped in. The victim, who did not attend the hearing, suffered injuries including a broken front tooth, a cut lip, a bruised face, and cut hands. Garda Curran emphasised that the victim was fortunate that the injuries were not more severe.
The Director of Public Prosecutions recommended transferring the cases to the Circuit Court due to its broader sentencing powers. While the defence sought acceptance of jurisdiction, indicating the boys would plead guilty, Judge Paul Kelly described the incident as shocking and vicious. The unnamed minors are scheduled to appear in court again in January.
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