Man charged over attack on off-duty gardaí in Dublin was on the run from prison at time

A violent criminal (34) arrested in connection with an attack on two off-duty gardaí in Dublin city centre was on the run from prison at the time of the assault.

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One of the officers suffered a bleed to the brain after being sucker-punched and remains in Beaumont Hospital Stock image A violent criminal (34) arrested in connection with an attack on two off-duty gardaí in Dublin city centre was on the run from prison at the time of the assault. The man has now been charged and is set to appear in court today over the attack, gardaí said in an update on Tuesday morning. A second man who was arrested is still being questioned over the assault.

The first suspect was serving a seven-­month sentence for a non-violent offence but was granted temporary release within a week of being jailed due to a prison overcrowding issue. He failed to abide by the terms of his temporary release by not signing on at a Dublin prison three weeks ago. The suspect was not seen again by officers until last weekend’s vicious attack in Temple Bar.



The two officers were set upon in an unprovoked attack in the early hours of Saturday and later taken to hospital. One of the men, aged in his 40s, suffered head injuries, including a bleed to the brain, after being sucker-­punched and remains in Beaumont Hospital in a serious condition. His colleague was discharged on Saturday.

The suspect, who was arrested on Saturday night, was previously prosecuted and jailed for a violent assault in Temple Bar. Sources said he “reacted aggressively” when gardaí tried to arrest him but was eventually detained. He was taken to Pearse Street ­Garda Station but his period of detention was suspended so he could treated in hospital for a severe facial injury.

Sources said the suspect’s injury did not happen during the course of his arrest or during his alleged involvement in the assault on the off-duty gardaí. Meanwhile, a low-level Dublin criminal who was arrested on Sunday night as part of the investigation is understood to be an associate of the violent criminal. The 32-year-old suspect is originally from the Coolock area and has come to the attention of gardaí in the city centre in the past for public order offences and assaults.

Investigators believe this man played a “lesser role” in the attack, but he is still suspected of assaulting one of the off-duty gardaí. He can be detained for up to 24 hours before he must either be charged or released from custody pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Detectives believe robbery was the motive for the attack and a stolen mobile phone was recovered from the older suspect when he was detained.

An incident room has been established at Pearse Street Garda Station. Both injured gardaí are attached to the armed support unit in Dublin and are understood to have been on a Christmas night out before the attack. Gardaí are continuing to appeal for any witnesses to the assault, which happened on the junction of Dame Street and Eustace Street at around 1.

30am on Saturday, to come forward..