A more severe charge has been brought against a youth who allegedly left a man in a critical condition from an alleged "random" assault in central Dublin.
Scott Cahill (19), of St James's Road, Dublin 12, was initially charged with assault causing harm to the man (48), who was left with "life-changing injuries" after an incident at Cook Street, in Dublin 8 on June 21st last year.
Two days later, he was granted bail with strict conditions and appeared again at Dublin District Court.
The charge was replaced with a more serious one under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act for causing "serious harm" to the man.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed a trial on indictment at a higher level in the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers.
Judge Treasa Kelly adjourned the case until a date in March for prosecutors to complete a book of evidence which must be served on the accused before granting a trial order.
At a contested bail hearing on June 23rd, Detective Garda Mark Dennehy alleged the incident happened at about 6:15 pm when the accused and two females who were known to him walked along Cook Street.
Detective Garda Dennehy alleged that as Cahill walked past the man, he "believed he [the man] took a dislike to him by the way the injured party was looking at him".
The court had heard it was claimed Mr Cahill took his backpack and threw it up onto a tree, and when the man tried to retrieve it, he was punched and fell to the ground.
An ambulance brought him to St James's Hospital, but he left before being treated and went to the South Circular Road, where he fell unconscious.
The man was discovered to have a bleed on the brain and a fractured skull. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital for emergency surgery and was in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
Detective Garda Dennehy had alleged, "A member of the public was randomly assaulted in what appeared to be a completely unprovoked assault".
He said the prognosis was that the man was "left with life-changing injuries even if his condition improves".
The officer agreed with the defence that the accused did not know the independent witness. Counsel had said, "My client said this was not a completely unprovoked and random assault".
The out-of-work youth was granted legal aid and €300 bail.
Mr Cahill had to hand over his passport, not contact the two female witnesses, obey a curfew, sign on daily at his local garda station and stay out of Dublin 8.
