A Spanish student was allegedly attacked by four people in Cork city, Ireland, on March 25th. The incident occurred outside a fast food restaurant on Bandon Road, where the student was walking home. The attack was unprovoked and violent, leaving the victim with injuries that required hospital treatment.
One of the alleged attackers, Aaron Breen, was brought before Cork District Court charged with assault causing harm. Detective Garda Padraig Harrington objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the alleged offence. The prosecution argued that Breen and three others were present at Bandon Road in Cork at 4am on Saturday when the Spanish student was subjected to the attack.
The evidence in support of the charge is said to be strong, including high-quality CCTV footage. It is alleged that Breen punched the student, knocking him to the ground, before punching him five times and kicking him in the head five times while he was on the ground. Fortunately, the victim managed to get away and was later taken to Cork University Hospital. His injuries are not believed to be as serious as they could have been.
The prosecution argued that the level of violence used in the attack was “fairly savage,” and that they had “serious concerns for the safety of the public.” The defence solicitor, Shane Collins-Daly, applied for bail for Breen and asked if there were any conditions that could be applied to satisfy the prosecution in terms of granting bail. However, Detective Garda Harrington said there were no such conditions.
Judge Olann Kelleher refused bail and remanded Aaron Breen in custody until April 5th. Breen, who is 23 years old and from Greenwood Estate, Togher, Cork, is charged with assault causing harm to the Spanish student. The other three alleged attackers have not been named or charged.
This incident is a reminder of the importance of safety in public places, particularly late at night. The use of violence in unprovoked attacks is unacceptable and can have serious consequences for the victim. The police and the courts take such incidents very seriously, as demonstrated by the refusal of bail in this case. It is hoped that the victim of this attack makes a full recovery and that justice is served.