A man has been jailed for 5½ years for his role in a livestreamed assault of a sergeant during the Dublin riots almost two years ago.
The court heard that his wife and teenage daughter saw the video of the assault on Sgt Brendan Eddery.
In a victim impact statement, Sgt Eddery said he saw men running towards him on the night and he decided “on principle not to yield to bullies, a mob”.
The group’s “only goal was random violence and intimidation”, he said, adding that his patrol car was set alight.
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He said he thought he was going to be seriously injured or killed and estimated he was fighting about 30 people, “with hundreds of people behind”. He said he knew that if he lost his footing, he would be at a disadvantage on the ground.
Sgt Eddery said a nearby bus driver tried to get his attention to get on to the bus to escape the mob, but he decided not to put that man at risk.
Garda Mark Duffy later came to his assistance and the pair managed to get into a nearby building in which they barricaded themselves.
Sgt Eddery thanked Garda Duffy, saying: “I believe I would not have survived without him.”
During the Garda interview, Thomas Fox (22) said he thought migrants were “smell bags”.
“I would do murder if they even touched a kid. You hear about them grabbing kids and all. I thought more kids were going to get stabbed and snatched,” said Fox.
When asked why he got involved in the riots, he said he did because of what happened to a child earlier that day. This was a reference to the stabbing of a girl on Parnell Square.
Fox initially denied he was in the footage, saying: “I just stood around in town.” He later accepted he was in the video.
Fox, who was living in hostel accommodation, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to committing a riot on Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, on November 23rd, 2022.
He also pleaded guilty to violent disorder, burglary of Foot Locker on O’Connell Street, interfering with the mechanism of a bus on O’Connell Bridge, and assaulting and causing harm to Sgt Eddery on Burgh Quay. He admitted to possession of cocaine for sale or supply in the hostel he was living in at the time on Lord Edward Street in Dublin city centre.
The court heard the Director of Public Prosecutions accepted the plea to the assault on Sgt Eddery based on joint enterprise.
Det Insp Ken Hoare told Joe Mulrean, prosecuting, that Fox was involved in the riots for about four hours. He was arrested on July 22nd, 2024, in the hostel he was living at the time. Gardaí found cannabis worth €210 and crack cocaine worth €340, along with drug paraphernalia.
Judge Martin Nolan complimented Sgt Eddery on his behaviour on the night.
The judge said Fox “was involved in a serious way in all of these crimes”. He accepted Fox demonstrated remorse and offered a sincere apology to the garda.
The judge imposed a 5½-year custodial sentence on Fox.
Sgt Eddery said he has been left with soft tissue injuries and cuts to his hand due to being struck with several unidentified weapons and missiles, as well as bottles and a scooter.
Sgt Eddery said he now suffers from nightmares and sleep deprivation. The sergeant said he gets flashbacks to the riots when conflict arises.
He is now attending a counselling service, and while he continues to work as a sergeant in a busy station, he hopes to transition to a quieter role in the future.
Sgt Eddery said his wife had an asthma attack after seeing the video of the attack and his daughter thought he had been killed.
Michael Hourigan SC, defending, said Fox was living on the streets at the time and suffered drug addiction from a very young age. He is remorseful for his actions on the night, said counsel.
