Two teenagers involved in attack on US tourist Stephen Termini sentenced to detention

TWO TEENAGERS INVOLVED in an attack on US tourist Stephen Termini have been sentenced to periods in detention.

American tourist Stephen Termini had gone out for drinks on the night of 19 July 2023, when he was subjected to a serious assault by three teenage boys in Dublin city centre.

Two of the boys separately pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and violent disorder at Store Street, Dublin 1 and were handed sentences last year. They were both aged 14 at the time of the attack.

Because another boy involved in the incident took a trial date, the sentences imposed on the other two defendants could not be reported at the time so as not to prejudice his right to a fair trial.

This boy, who is now 17, today pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault causing harm, and he was remanded on continuing bail.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has previously heard that he instigated the assault on Mr Termini and was 16 at the time.

All other evidence in relation to him will be heard on his sentencing date, when Mr Termini, who is in Ireland, will deliver a victim impact statement.

Mr Termini was initially taken to the Mater Hospital but was later transferred to Beaumont Hospital.

A medical report outlined that he sustained bleeding to the brain along with skull, orbital and cheek fractures. Mr Termini required an emergency procedure to save his sight and specialist intensive care for two weeks.

The court heard he has experienced ongoing cognitive issues due to the extent of the brain injuries and other health issues.

Sentencing the second boy to assault Mr Termini last July, Judge Martin Nolan described the attack by the three boys as “vicious and unprovoked”. He imposed a 32-month period of detention on this boy, having taken the mitigation into account.

He noted that no weapons were used and that the second and third boys “demonstrated some concern”. However, the judge said the injuries sustained by Mr Termini were “foreseeable”. “If you kick someone in this way viciously, these types of injuries can occur, simple as that.”

He said the second boy’s actions were “grievously wrong” and “helped ruin a man’s life”.

Judge Nolan imposed a 26-month period of detention on the third boy last October.

He said this boy witnessed what the other boys did, then involved himself, giving Mr Termimi a “savage” punch.

The judge said this defendant’s actions were aggravated by the fact that he was the third party to become involved in the assault.

The court was shown CCTV and dashcam footage, which showed Mr Termini walking on Talbot Street shortly after 10.30pm.

He walked past a group of teenagers, then turns back and appears to talk with them.

The first boy, then 15, started to attack Mr Termini. The second boy, then 14, started to kick Mr Termini eight times. He is also seen holding him and dragging him by the jacket.

Mr Termini ran towards Store Street and the second boy continued to kick him.

A third boy, who was watching from across the street and also aged 14 at the time, then became involved, punching Mr Termini once and knocking him to the ground.

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The second and third boys went to check on Mr Termini before fleeing the scene.

A witness told gardai that they saw Mr Termini talking to two women before the youths came over. Other witnesses said they saw the victim with his hands over his face, indicating he didn’t want to fight.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Termini said he faced over €103,000 in medical and other expenses. He said he forgave his attackers but wants them to pay restitution to help cover his costs.

He said he had suffered after-effects, including PTSD, constant pain and trouble sleeping. Mr Termini said he can’t walk without a cane, has rods in his back and can no longer speak clearly.

He said the actions of his attackers “changed my life completely”, and he “never saw the attack coming”.

Mr Termini said he doesn’t hold this against the “good people of Ireland” and wants to return.

The third boy went to the garda station the following day with his father. This boy told gardai that he saw the victim harassing two women, and then his friend kicked him. He said he gave the victim a dig in the head, but he didn’t mean to do that and asked about his well-being.

Gardai searched the home of the second boy a week after the assault. When interviewed, he told gardai that he saw his friend messing with the man, and then he gave him a kick to the head.

The second boy said he gave the victim a few more digs to his head, neck and shoulders. He said he felt terrible watching the footage. This boy started to sob when the CCTV footage was played to the court in July.

The boy who instigated the incident exercised his right to silence when interviewed by gardai.

The court heard the entire incident lasted around three minutes.

The investigating garda accepted during cross-examination that the second and third boys didn’t start the incident, which was triggered by a perception of unwanted attention towards some female members of their group.

The garda accepted this was something that these boys did as part of a group, that they pleaded guilty and were co-operative.

The second boy has four previous convictions for minor drug offences, while the third boy has no previous convictions.

Defence counsel for the second boy expressed his client’s remorse and handed a letter of apology and other documents to the court.

He said the probation report states the boy is sorry for his actions and is willing to work with appropriate services.

He noted what happened that night was because of a “very quick set of circumstances”. The defendant has some mental health issues and the support of his family.

He said his client is “before the court for what happened over three minutes”, and it will have a “huge impact on how he lives the rest of his life”.

Gerardine Small SC, for the third boy, said her client told gardaí he didn’t mean to do that much damage and that he felt terrible about it.

“This is a single punch, no implement,” she said. “Harm had been caused to the injured party prior to this accused engaging. A one-punch incident by a 14-year-old who in the immediate aftermath was genuinely concerned.”

She said the court had to take into account his ‘very tender years’, his personal circumstances and all mitigating features.

The 17-year-old will be sentenced on 26 February.

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