A judge has ordered the arrest of a 16-year-old boy found guilty of attacking a Chinese national on a busy street in Dublin.
Dublin Children's Court heard the father was beaten up by youths in front of his daughter, racially abused and made to apologise after giving out to another boy who squirted him with water.
The teen had denied the charge, claiming he acted in self-defence and was protecting his little brother, who had used a water gun before the incident which "escalated" into a gang attack.
The accused was found guilty by District Court President Judge Paul Kelly following a contested hearing in April.
Judge Kelly asked for a victim impact statement and a probation report on the teen for his sentencing hearing on Wednesday, however, the boy did not come to court and Judge Kelly issued gardaí with a bench warrant.
CCTV footage showed the boy repeatedly punching him while his teenage daughter stood nearby.
He admitted that he hit the victim up to seven times before the others joined in, dragged the man along railings, and reined blows and kicks to his head and body.
Garda Ciara Burke told the court that the man had a swollen eye, bloody face, and blood coming from his nose when he arrived at Store Street Garda station minutes after the incident.
The victim reported he had spoken to a young boy who sprayed him with a water gun, but the accused became racially abusive and hit him before "a whole load of youths became involved".
Afterwards, they followed him and "made him apologise", or they would not leave him alone.
Attack
Garda Burke obtained CCTV footage from the scene and arrested the boy after overhearing him telling a person about the incident three days later. The court heard the teen told her: "I just swung until he backed off."
In evidence, the victim recalled telling the defendant's brother, who squirted him with water, "Stop it", and he put his hands out but not him.
He said he was worried for his daughter and tried to walk away, but the accused started hitting him. Then, he said: "Some guys came across the road and hit me really bad. I was covered by my hat, so I did not see anything, and they kept hitting me; one guy hit me really bad."
He agreed with State solicitor, Mairead White, the group of youths made him apologise afterwards, telling the man: "If you don't say sorry, we won't let you go."
The teen claimed in court that the victim had put his hand on his little brother and started giving out, so he went to defend him.
He alleged the man came at him and kicked him, and he claimed he was acting in self-defence but backed off and kept his distance when the incident escalated.
In cross-examination, the prosecution suggested he would have pulled his brother away if he had been protecting him.
The defence argued the boy had an "instinctive reaction" to defend his brother. However, Judge Kelly said the teen acted aggressively, not defensively, conviting the teen.
