Accused in 'face attack' remanded in custody

A convicted criminal whose assault with "a high level of gratuitous violence" on a man walking his dog may leave the victim blind for life has been remanded in custody pending sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Leroy Dumbrell (aged 20), of Emmett Road, Inchicore has 57 previous convictions and was on bail for another assault when he attacked Mr Nigel Reid in the face causing him to permanently loose the sight in his left eye.

Dumbrell was convicted by a jury in July, on day eight of the trial, of assaulting Mr Reid causing him serious harm and robbing his mobile phone on July 11, 2004.

Mr Reid told Judge Frank O'Donnell he worried every day about going blind as he was due to see an eye surgeon in December to find out if the sight in his right eye can be saved.

Mr Reid said his fiancé left him because of the pressure of the case but also because she felt she couldn't deal with looking after a blind man for the rest of his life. He felt vulnerable now that he has no partner to help care for him.

Judge O'Donnell agreed to an application from defence counsel Mr Justin Dillon SC (with Mr Damien Colgan BL) for an adjournment because urine analysis results were not ready for the court's consideration.

Garda Orva Keogh told Mr Fergal Foley BL, prosecuting, that Mr Reid was out walking his dog when the animal wandered into a neighbour's garden.

While he was calling his dog out, Mr Reid became anxious of a man, Dumbrell, walking towards him. Mr Reid let out a sigh of relief when he passed-by. This was overheard by Dumbrell who turned back to confront him.

Gda Keogh said Mr Reid explained to Dumbrell that he sighed because he was happy the dog had left the garden as the residents had previously complained of it "defecating there".

Dumbrell didn't accept this and struck Mr Reid in the face "with a high level of gratuitous violence". He then stole his phone when he fell to the ground.

Mr Reid later attended an identity parade where the gardaí had lined up their chief suspect but he couldn't see his attacker there. When he was leaving the station he spotted Dumbrell who had come there to collect his girlfriend, the older sister of the initial suspect.

Gda Keogh said gardaí had traced Mr Reid's phone to a relative of the chief suspect who was also related to Dumbrell's girlfriend. Mr Reid later successfully identified Dumbrell in a second line up.

Mr Dillon said a governor's report indicated that Dumbrell had shown remorse for his actions. He had "got a grip of himself" in custody and had gained an insight into his actions he didn't have before so that he was "anxious to get away from the cycle of detention and prison".

Mr Dillon said Dumbrell now realised for himself the efforts he needed to make to improve his situation. He had undertaken a number of courses while in custody including an alternative to violence programme, cookery, art and English. He also trained regularly in the prison gym and hoped to become a fitness instructor.