Men involved in New Year's Eve melee have sentences adjourned

Three Kilbarrick men who got involved in a New Year's Eve melee in their neighbourhood after they went to assist a friend in getting back his stolen mobile phone back have had their sentence adjourned.

Andrew Graham (aged 22), Darren Flood (aged 23) and Darren Murphy (aged 20) were present in the early stages of the disturbance in which a man was later seriously injured by a larger group of people not before the court.

Graham, Flood and Murphy, all of Briarfield Road, Kilbarrack pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder in Kilbarrack on January 1, 2005.

A witness to the events on the night said that there were about "20 to 25 lads running around" who appeared quite drunk. He said he saw a number of people surround Mr Lee Morgan and one person hit him with a hurley, while other people kicked him and one person threw a large stone at him.

Mr Morgan suffered a fractured skull and spent several days on a life support machine. He has short term memory loss, weakness to the right hand side of his body, as well as diminution of hearing and sight.

Judge Katherine Delahunt remanded the men on continuing bail until their sentence date next month.

Detective Garda Dermot Nolan told Mr Sean Gillane BL, prosecuting, that the three men had attended various house parties in their neighbourhood during the day on New Year's Eve and were drinking in Flood's home when a person known to them came to the house to tell them his mobile phone had been taken.

The three men left the house at about 3am to attempt to get their friend's phone back and joined a larger group of people that were already out on the street.

Det. Garda Nolan said witness statement were originally taken from the three accused about the events of the night and they were later arrested and interviewed.

Graham said he took a hurley with him so that people would be less likely to attack him. He said he saw Mr Morgan looking dazed and confused near the Dart line. He said he saw gardaí, dropped the hurley and left.

Flood said he saw a lot of people talking and shouting by the Dart line. He said he saw a scuffle and "went over and threw a dig" striking Mr Morgan but heard his father shouting at him and he left the scene.

Murphy said after leaving the house he had got involved in a fight with a separate individual and then returned to Flood's home. He said he saw Mr Morgan on the ground with a couple of people around him and someone asking for an ambulance to be called.

Det. Garda Nolan said Graham had one previous conviction, Flood had three previous convictions and Murphy had nine previous convictions.