A TEEN thug bawled in the dock as he was sent down for 20 months for the “unprovoked” attack he instigated on a US tourist.
Victim Stephen Termini, 57, was at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for today’s sentencing hearing.
The 17-year-old — who can’t be named as he is a minor — booted Mr Termini four times on the night of July 19, 2023.
He then crossed the road and appeared to take out his phone as two pals — both aged 14 at the time — continued the attack.
Mr Termini was set upon on Store Street, in Dublin city centre, after going out for a few drinks.
Shocking CCTV played in court showed the innocent American knocked out in a starfish position following the savage attack.
Mr Termini spent two weeks in ICU at Beaumont Hospital after being left with bleeds on his brain and a fractured skull.
The New Yorker also underwent emergency surgery, which saved his eyesight in one eye.
Judge Martin Nolan said the “vicious” beating was “unprovoked on Mr Termini, who was a guest and tourist in this country”.
He was told the teenager had a history of offending, including convictions for assault causing harm and violent disorder.
Sentencing him to 20 months in detention, Judge Nolan declared: “He has to change and it seems previous chances by courts didn’t make him change . . . he must suffer to hopefully change.”
Speaking afterwards, Mr Termini explained that he forgives his attackers but is living with the consequences every day.
He said: “I will never be able
to ride a horse again. I will never be able to play a soccer game, football. I can’t walk fast.
“I can’t walk for miles. A lot of things I can’t do, those things were taken from me.
“I’m lucky to be alive. For some reason they thought it’d be OK to do that to me.
“I don’t know why they did it and it doesn’t matter. I never bothered nobody, I didn’t say nothing to nobody. All I said is ‘I don’t want to fight’.”
But he added: “I wouldn’t say don’t come to Dublin because it’s dangerous, it’s beautiful.”
The boy pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on Termini earlier this month. In his defence, Conor Devally SC told the court the boy had ADHD and claimed the Covid pandemic had “greatly disrupted” him at an early age.
After the lad was sentenced, a male relative tried to come up to the dock to comfort him but prison officers stood in the way.
The man shouted slurs at the judge before being removed.
The other two accused were previously given sentences of 27 and 32 months detention after they pleaded guilty to more serious offences, assault causing serious harm and violent disorder.
