Teenager pleads guilty to assault charges

An 18 year-old man who was convicted in April of the manslaughter of Brian Mulvaney today pleaded guilty to charges arising from two other assaults he carried out on the same night.

Last month a jury convicted Stephen Aherne of the manslaughter of 19 year-old Mr Mulvaney, who died after being chased and beaten to death after a party in Templeogue in Dublin on March 11, 2000.

Another man, Brian Willoughby was jailed for life for his murder and a third man, Neal Barbour

was acquitted.

At the Central Criminal Court today Aherne formerly of Willington Crescent, Templeogue and with an address at College Farm Park, Newbridge, Co Kildare pleaded guilty to two crimes committed in the hours before the fatal encounter with Mr Mulvaney.

He first pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Matthew O’Dowd at Templeogue Road, Terenure on March 11, 2000.

He also pleaded guilty to a second assault in which he produced a drinking glass in a manner likely to intimidate Karl Dunne at Templeogue Road, Templeogue Village on 11 March 2000.

During last month’s trial it emerged that both Aherne and Neal Barbour had pint glasses with them when they left a 21st birthday party in Terenure to walk home together.

Mr Barbour told gardaí that Aherne suggested “it’s fun to walk home when you’re locked”.

Before he met up with Brian Willoughby at the Orwell Shopping Centre and joined in the fatal assault on Brian Mulvaney, Aherne was involved in the assaults on Mr O’Dowd and Mr Dunne on the Templeogue Road.

One of the men was injured when a glass was used on him.

Brian Mulvaney died later that night after being chased and dragged to the ground by his attackers, one of whom danced on his head. He knew none of the three men who were involved in the incident.

Mr Justice Barry White remanded Aherne in custody while victim impact reports are prepared in relation to the assaults on Mr O’Dowd and Mr Dunne.

Mr Justice White will sentence Aherne on both charges and for the manslaughter charge on October 13.

Neal Barbour is also due to face a number of in June 2004 in relation to the alleged assaults on night of March 11, 2000.