Attacked on Parnell Street in broad daylight

Mr. CooL ICE

Sorry to hear about it OP. Although an instinct like this may have its uses.

JangoFett

Scumbags, all of those people, I went to see My Chemical Romance about 3 years ago in Dublin and after the gig a lot of the kids were just mulling around, they were basking in a good night, and these 3 scummers, on of them was about 40 for feck sake like, and they were startin on people and most people just did the right thing and mumbled and avoided them, but one poor kid talked back to them, he wasn't even aggressive like, and the 40 year oldm who was about 5'3, gave him one of the most sickening headbutts I have ever seen and then the 3 scummers ran away laughing

The cops that were watching "the scary kids dressed in black" missed it and the kids called them over, but the 3 scummers got away!

I was sick to my stomach that a 40 year old man attacked a kid that must have been 15 years old. Fcking scum.

johnny_ultimate

Shame to hear about that incident, OP.

Similiar experience myself a few months ago. Walking home after college around 4 in the afternoon. Fairly open, safe road that I walk up every day. Nothing dodgy. But two lads just walked up to me, one punch me right in the face. I was a bit shocked (no injuries luckily - thankfully came off with only a really light bruise!), looked back, as did they, and they just moved on. Got home in around 5 minutes, phoned the guards and they were promptly caught. Apparently they were out of their tree on this and that, and didn't even remember where they were (were from a fair distance away). They were just walking up and down the road, punching random folk in the face. One guy got a broken jaw out of it!

There usually is something up in cases like this. I think these kind of random attacks are regularly down to some other influence - people who do it clearly aren't all there at that particular moment. As mentioned, the attacker in the OP could have been wasted / concussed at the point. Still a highly unfortunate thing to happen, and its horrible to hear of stories like this.

Mr. CooL ICE

JangoFett wrote: »

Scumbags, all of those people, I went to see My Chemical Romance about 3 years ago in Dublin and after the gig a lot of the kids were just mulling around, they were basking in a good night, and these 3 scummers, on of them was about 40 for feck sake like, and they were startin on people and most people just did the right thing and mumbled and avoided them, but one poor kid talked back to them, he wasn't even aggressive like, and the 40 year oldm who was about 5'3, gave him one of the most sickening headbutts I have ever seen and then the 3 scummers ran away laughing

The cops that were watching "the scary kids dressed in black" missed it and the kids called them over, but the 3 scummers got away!

I was sick to my stomach that a 40 year old man attacked a kid that must have been 15 years old. Fcking scum.

I don't advocate violence, but...

A few weeks ago, I was attacked on Dame Street at 8 in the morning by 2 scumbags. Nobody at work seemed overly shocked and most said it was probably because I 'look foreign' (I'm Irish, my great grandparents were Italian). WTF? Like thats a reason to randomly assault someone. Rang the guards and they sent someone out but never heard anything back. This wasn't the first time I was attacked in broad daylight for no reason either. I'm sick of the attitude of 'sure it happens, sure it's Dublin, what do you expect?' etc. It's NOT bloody normal at all! I should not be afraid to walk around in case I'm attacked, I should not be constantly looking over my shoulder and anticipating who might cause trouble. I'm turning into a nervous wreck. I think a lot of Irish people are just deluded. I've lived in 4 different countries and I've never been attacked or felt in any way threatened. I've lived in New York City and never experienced any kind of hassle whatsoever, including when walking around the Bronx.

There's a serious problem here and it's really underestimated. It's got to the stage where I no longer feel safe or comfortable here and I'm looking at places to move to. Because it IS ten times more dangerous here than most other places, especially for someone who doesn't look Irish. It's a total joke.

TeletextPear

hope your wife is ok. i work on parnell street and finish around 11 some nights, always afraid of my life walking down there at night by myself, def an area that needs more cops on it. fair play for not reacting physically

mikemac

LordChessington wrote: »

Sorry to hear about it OP. Although an instinct like this may have its uses.

I know very little about boxing but that guy must be doing boxing training. He's got some skill and speed, no question!

Gavin "shels"

Mairt wrote: »

I'd a similar incident only Friday night.

I was stopped at the lights of Clare St. and noticed a mugging over the road on South Leinster Street. A guy on a push bike robbing a tourist, I gave chase and caught him at the Alexander hotel.

The girl got her stuff back, but in the chase the fvcker threw her stuff to the ground, smashing her new digi-camera.

Anyway through it all NOT ONE PERSON came to help.

I went back to her at Kennedy's pub where some of the customers where comforting her - I thanked the lads on the door "Thanks for the help lads, yiz windy fvckers".

Turn's out the guy was a Roma who was arrested on Fishamble St earlier. He does his robberies on a pushbike - so beware.

Fair play, always like hearing stories like this (I mean bypassers helping people).

AckwelFoley

i admire the OP's self control.

I dont trust my own temper in a situation like that. If somone punched my ex i would have caught him.. and raped him in public.

D_murph

flanum wrote: »

i think its great the op didnt react physically at the time. Now he can get all the scumbags background info... address etc in court.

Sweet, own the fcuker when he doesnt expect it, just like he done to the ops wife!

i like your thinking

bermuda

Thank you for the responses. My wife and I read them earlier today and I feel compelled to respond to some of the posters.

Firstly we thank you for the messages of reassurance, much appreciated.

I wish I could say I was showing self restraint and thats why I didnt smash the guy, (as a lot of have people have condoned my non violent response) but thats not true. I grabbed him with the intention of hitting him, but could sense my wife whimpering all curled up on the ground behind me surrounded by strangers ( I remember I yelled as I shook him - Why did you hit her ? and he just started blankly back at me) and then I rushed back to her to hold her and reassure her. In the meanwhile he simply walked away. I remember holding her, brushing her hair away from her face, to see how bad was it...and she wasnt letting anyone touch her face. ( I can still today at moments picture her curled up whimpering and it makes me want to rush to her and hold her). Everything was still happening in a blur, all of my thoughts were rushed, even when I grabbed him the first time, I remember looking down at his hands for a possible knife (watched too many movies to realise that in real life the other person could easiy be armed with a blade), ....everything seemed to be an out of body experience. I just wish he had picked on me, she is too gentle to get hurt like that.

When I raced down the street after him again I knew in my mind that I was meaning to get up behind him, push him and pummel him ( i kept looking around for something to pick up like a stick , a bar or anything ), now that I knew the people around my wife were looking after her, getting her water and reassuring her ( I never got any of their names, but the two women holding her; the chinese couple, the indian boys - if any of you are reading this , thank you so very much......i really really appreciate your kindness).

I can understand that nobody wanted to help me restrain the guy, but I really wish somebody had, but then I ask myself the question as to whether I would and very sadly I dont know the answer, its only when you are in the circumstances is that you really know your reactions ( there was a poster up here who mentioned how he chased after a purse snatcher and I really admire your courage sir).


It makes me unhappy that even though the man has been caught by the gardai, he may simply get away with a slap on the wrists. What if he does this again and next time it's with a knife or something - an infected syringe to someone else's sister, wife, mother, girlfriend and its worse ? Hearing some of the stories above I do realise my wife has been lucky, but there has to be something the law can do to ensure that the man is unable to do this again. If he is mentally ill as someone said, then he should be accordingly locked up and treated. I certainly would be appalled if he is simply let go. How unsafe does that make Dublin for all of us ?

We made a statement to the gardai at the scene of the crime, but have not heard from them for a follow up statement - does this mean that they let him go ? One of the officers mentioned yesterday that the guy is probably living rough (homeless?) and is not Irish. We called up the gardai yesterday but the case officer was at Croake Park on duty, was supposed to call us back today. I will call again tomorrow.

The good thing is that my wife is recovering fast, she has an exam coming up in two weeks and has picked up her CISA books to continue her studies. So I am happy there, am glad to see that she is picking up.

ART6

Sir, I salute you for one of the most articulate and moving statements I have seen for may a year. But the point remains, what are the Guards and the courts going to do about it? OK, so the guy may have been out of his mind or concussed or something, but the fact is that a grown man punched an innocent woman in the face for no reason, and that I cannot accept. In my view the wrath of God should fall on his miserable head.

Many years ago now I served an engineering apprenticeship in the Glasgow shipyards, at a time when Glasgow was home to out of control gangs who liked to do things like fixing razor blades into the ends of canes and slashing people with them if they didn't hand over their wallets. The local police chief responded by recruiting some of the biggest and hardest cops from the army and other resources of gentle people. They took on the gangs and eliminated them by sheer muscle power. Then, if you attacked someone in the street, you could be sure to end up in the cop shop with both arms broken and a few teeth missing. Not, perhaps, a civilised and politically correct way of doing things, but within a couple of years Glasgow became a very safe city. As a young man, even a night out with a few mates became a risky passtime as the cops would automatically latch onto us, and so we had to become a pure as the driven snow. At throwing out time in the pubs, a "Black Mariah" would pull up outside each and a cop the size of Godzilla would gently suggest that we might like to go home. Hesitation was not a good idea!

Perhaps we now need a similar zero tolerance approach, with guards patrolling the streets instead of watching us all on TV cameras, and courts who will inevitably send perpetrators down for a long time if they harm others, and do it to prisons that are not holiday camps with digital TVs and three square meals a day. Barlinnie prison in Glasgow was a place to avoid for those who had experienced it.

I feel slightly guilty that I cannot take the approach of some other posters here, that the guy may not have been responsible for his actions etc etc. I really don't care about that. I am just so outraged that he could do that to someone's wife that I want him to be hammered to an inch of his b****y life, and if volunteers are needed.........:mad:

arybvtcw0eolkf

bermuda wrote: »

We made a statement to the gardai at the scene of the crime, but have not heard from them for a follow up statement - does this mean that they let him go ? One of the officers mentioned yesterday that the guy is probably living rough (homeless?) and is not Irish. We called up the gardai yesterday but the case officer was at Croake Park on duty, was supposed to call us back today. I will call again tomorrow.

.

If your getting the brush off the next time you call he/she will be on leave, or out sick or a multitude of other excuse's most of us will have experienced with them.

If that happens, you said your Asian?.. Is there a liasion body to help you deal with the police here?.. Or report the matter (ie if you get no satisfaction from the police) to the Garda Ombudsman.

Again I'm sincerely sorry to hear about your ordeal, now hopefully you won't be a victim of our lazy policing too.

LadyE

Really sorry that this happened to your wife OP - I hope the scumbag get what he deserves.

qwytre

God knows what sentence he will get. I was randonly punched by a guy in Dublin a few years back, I managed to get him in a headlock until some bouncers intervened and held him until the cops arrived.

No serious injury to myself, just a bloody nose and bruising. Went to court and he got a 500 euro fine and thats all.

Still, I felt I got justice, but the judge took it easy on this guy, he looked like a student and he was making an excuse that he had just broken up with his girlfriend etc etc.

I hope you get a tougher judge.

You can also bring a civil case against the guy.

utick

lol qwytre thats one thing ive noticed in ireland, the judges seem to be better at making excuses than the criminals themselves, its a complete joke

Mutz

bermuda wrote: »

Thank you for the responses. My wife and I read them earlier today and I feel compelled to respond to some of the posters.

Firstly we thank you for the messages of reassurance, much appreciated.

I wish I could say I was showing self restraint and thats why I didnt smash the guy, (as a lot of have people have condoned my non violent response) but thats not true. I grabbed him with the intention of hitting him, but could sense my wife whimpering all curled up on the ground behind me surrounded by strangers ( I remember I yelled as I shook him - Why did you hit her ? and he just started blankly back at me) and then I rushed back to her to hold her and reassure her. In the meanwhile he simply walked away. I remember holding her, brushing her hair away from her face, to see how bad was it...and she wasnt letting anyone touch her face. ( I can still today at moments picture her curled up whimpering and it makes me want to rush to her and hold her). Everything was still happening in a blur, all of my thoughts were rushed, even when I grabbed him the first time, I remember looking down at his hands for a possible knife (watched too many movies to realise that in real life the other person could easiy be armed with a blade), ....everything seemed to be an out of body experience. I just wish he had picked on me, she is too gentle to get hurt like that.

When I raced down the street after him again I knew in my mind that I was meaning to get up behind him, push him and pummel him ( i kept looking around for something to pick up like a stick , a bar or anything ), now that I knew the people around my wife were looking after her, getting her water and reassuring her ( I never got any of their names, but the two women holding her; the chinese couple, the indian boys - if any of you are reading this , thank you so very much......i really really appreciate your kindness).

I can understand that nobody wanted to help me restrain the guy, but I really wish somebody had, but then I ask myself the question as to whether I would and very sadly I dont know the answer, its only when you are in the circumstances is that you really know your reactions ( there was a poster up here who mentioned how he chased after a purse snatcher and I really admire your courage sir).


It makes me unhappy that even though the man has been caught by the gardai, he may simply get away with a slap on the wrists. What if he does this again and next time it's with a knife or something - an infected syringe to someone else's sister, wife, mother, girlfriend and its worse ? Hearing some of the stories above I do realise my wife has been lucky, but there has to be something the law can do to ensure that the man is unable to do this again. If he is mentally ill as someone said, then he should be accordingly locked up and treated. I certainly would be appalled if he is simply let go. How unsafe does that make Dublin for all of us ?

We made a statement to the gardai at the scene of the crime, but have not heard from them for a follow up statement - does this mean that they let him go ? One of the officers mentioned yesterday that the guy is probably living rough (homeless?) and is not Irish. We called up the gardai yesterday but the case officer was at Croake Park on duty, was supposed to call us back today. I will call again tomorrow.

The good thing is that my wife is recovering fast, she has an exam coming up in two weeks and has picked up her CISA books to continue her studies. So I am happy there, am glad to see that she is picking up.

Keep after the Guard dude. You may noth need to make a fully detailed statement (Taken on an A4 sheet in the Garda Station) for a file to the DPP. Tell the Guard that you want to go to each court appearance and in the event that the punk goes guilty, the Judge will be able to hear both your sides of the story. If he goes guilty in court, the Judge won't hear your side of the story and will not see the effect it has had on you and therefore have more sympathy for the pr!ck.

Don't let that punk away with it! Fair play to you for what you did. Best of luck with it and give my best wishes to your other half

CLADA

Mairt wrote: »

If your getting the brush off the next time you call he/she will be on leave, or out sick or a multitude of other excuse's most of us will have experienced with them.

If that happens, you said your Asian?.. Is there a liasion body to help you deal with the police here?.. Or report the matter (ie if you get no satisfaction from the police) to the Garda Ombudsman.

Again I'm sincerely sorry to hear about your ordeal, now hopefully you won't be a victim of our lazy policing too.

Good man Mairt, its been a while since you had your last Garda rant, and it is nice to see you are calming down and leaving out the "lazy, scumbag bas**rds" remarks of a previous post.

If you read the early posts you should know the guards were there immediately, the offender arrested, a statement has been taken from the injured party, hardly lazy policing.

To the OP I would say the following:

You are both witnesses as well as victims and in the event of a court case you will be required to recount and relive this event. As time goes by the thoughts of a court appearance may cause even more anxiety, but follow the case through and have your day in court and hopefully you will get justice for this savage attack on your wife.


The physical damage will heal but the trauma and mental anguish associated with this will remain for a long time. There is a victim support helpline 1850 211 407 which provides professional help and I am aware that a lot of people in your situation have found it helpful.

In my experience people react in many different ways to an attack like this,
you were caught completely by surprise and were torn between avenging the attack on your wife and staying to comfort her, you chose the right option and staying with her at the time was the first step on the road to recovery.

Hope all works out for you.

FunkZ

Did the security in Penneys help in any way? There's a camera right outside that entrance that would see a fair bit of the street.

FX Meister

bermuda wrote: »

Just wanted to share a really scary story.....

My wife and myself were walking down Parnell Street last evening and suddenly a man walked upto my wife and punched her in the face. This was around 7 50 pm last evening right in front of the what used to be the old video store and now is a asian superstore.

According to other people on the street apparently this man was getting beat up next to / in Penny's by a couple of men, he walked away from that fight and simply walked down the street, right upto my wife and punched her in the face.

He simply stood there over her after she fell to the ground, completely comatose and then simply calmly walked on.

I was in complete shock, everything seemed to be in slow motion, I can still see my wife hitting the ground and I seemed to be watching her from outside my body.

As he moved i ran after him as people collected around my wife and grabbed him by the collar, he simply turned again in a completely comatose fashion and stared at me and then simply kept on walking. I raced back to my wife , held her, tried to let her let me see her face to see how badly she was hurt.

I didnt have my cell on me, yelled at someone in the crowd to give me a cell phone, someone called the garda whilst I got up and raced down the street after the guy. All the while no one interfered or tried to stop him.

He had turned into the street behind Ilac centre. I yelled at him to stop and asked someone on the street for a cell phone to call the garda again.

I kept running up to catch up with him, whilst I heard running steps behind me, the garda had arrived and raced ahead to catch him. There were a couple of asian boys with them who had raced with them since they had witnessed the whole thing.

The garda caught the man, he simply still remained comatose and gave himself up without saying a word.

Went back to to my wife, she was now standing up against the door of the store, the garda took our statements and sent us to Mater for her checkup.

She has a nasty bruise, right check is all swollen up, but not injury to her teeth, nose or eye. Had xrays done this morning. Thank God!

I am still in shock that something like that would happen.....completely unprovoked........I think my wife is going to be very scared to venture out after this and I am not sure how to reassure her...am trying , but realise it will take some days.

I know the attack wasnt racist ( am asian and so is my wife). It was just random , unprovoked and makes me really sad and horrified.

I intend to prosecute the man to the fullest extent of the law - not sure what that would constitute.

I dont get it, if he was comatose like you say then surely he couldnt have hit your wife or even walked anywhere for that matter.

qwytre

utick wrote: »

lol qwytre thats one thing ive noticed in ireland, the judges seem to be better at making excuses than the criminals themselves, its a complete joke

Just to clarify it was the student who was making the excuses. The judge in fairness did try to scare him by treatening him with a jail sentance. The guys mother had to pay the fine too, so I think all it was a fair result. He will think twice before doing it again.

I just hope there is a much tougher sentence for the knobhead who punched the women...