Latest news with #SpanishStudent
BreakingNews.ie
13-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Man who set upon Spanish student in 'unprovoked' attack with 'homophobic overtones' jailed
A man who set upon a Spanish student in Dublin city centre in an 'utterly unprovoked' attack with 'homophobic overtones' has been jailed for three years. The 25-year-old Spanish man had recently arrived in Ireland to study English when he was punched several times after homophobic slurs were shouted at him while he was out socialising in the early hours of the morning. Advertisement He suffered a broken jaw and required surgery in the aftermath of the attack, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. He had been due to stay in Ireland for one year but left the country within weeks of the assault. Kevin Geraghty (31) of Carmens Hall Hostel, Francis Street, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the man on Cuffe Street, Dublin 2 in the early hours of September 19th, 2024. He has 70 previous convictions. The court heard the victim had been at a nightclub in town and was standing outside a bar waiting for a friend when two men approached him, shouting homophobic slurs. One of the men, Geraghty, then punched him several times to the face before fleeing the scene. Geraghty later denied he shouted homophobic abuse at the victim. The victim went home to bed but woke up the next morning feeling unwell and went to hospital. He remained there for a number of days and required surgery. His parents flew over from Madrid to be with him. Advertisement The court heard that at the time of the attack, Geraghty was wearing a distinctive orange jacket. Two weeks later, he was spotted by gardaí wearing the same jacket and arrested. He made no admissions. Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, said Geraghty was a crack cocaine addict who slipped into drug use after leaving school at a young age. He has been in custody since his arrest and is doing well, the court heard. Sentencing him on Tuesday, Judge Orla Crowe said it was 'a completely unprovoked attack on a visitor to our country'. It was 'an attack that had distinct homophobic overtones to it', she noted. 'They might not have been uttered by this defendant but they were uttered and he punched the injured party to the face,' she said. She noted it had a huge impact on the injured party, including a financial impact. She said Geraghty 'has a CV littered with convictions'. Judge Crowe set a sentence of three years and nine months and suspended the final nine months on a number of conditions.
BreakingNews.ie
11-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Spanish student (20s) dead and two others seriously injured in Waterford crash
A male Spanish student in his 20s died and two people were seriously injured following a fatal road traffic incident which occurred on the edge of Waterford City on Saturday afternoon. Gardaí and emergency services rushed to the scene of the crash, which occurred at around 2.20pm on the old Tramore Road (L1020). It is understood that the car all three people were travelling in hit a tree. Advertisement Two of the people in the car, also aged in their 20s, are receiving treatment in hospital. It is understood that the male Spanish student was a backseat passenger in the car. A garda statement confirmed an accident had occurred and appealed for witnesses. The driver and another occupant of the vehicle, males in their 20s, were brought to University Hospital Waterford for treatment of serious but not life-threatening injuries. A technical examination has since been conducted by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators, and the road has reopened to traffic. Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to this incident to come forward. 'Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 2:00pm and 2:45pm are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí,' the statement added. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Waterford Garda Station on 051 305 300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
