Armed mob chased man carrying bloodied baseball bat across Dublin city centre, court hears

A “MOB” BRANDISHING weapons chased a man armed with a blood-stained baseball bat after violence broke out and spilt across four busy streets in Dublin city-centre, a court has heard.

Darragh Dunne, 35, of Edenmore Grove, Coolock, Dublin, and his 18-year-old nephew Clive Dunne, with an address at Timbermill Apartments, were charged with violent disorder at the H&M shop on O’Connell Street on Friday evening.

Dublin District Court heard on Saturday how shoppers, including a woman with a buggy, fled the busy store when the defendants ran in with Darragh Dunne still carrying the bat.

Garda Thomas Hayes objected to Darragh Dunne’s bail, telling the judge that the incident had happened at about 6 pm.

There were reports of two males with weapons running into the H&M store and heading into a staff room.

One had a baseball bat, and the other had a bicycle saddle after nine males chased them from an earlier incident at a shop on Parnell Street.

The court heard that Darragh Dunne allegedly entered the Parnell Street premises wearing a stab-proof vest and carrying a baseball bat, which was used for a premeditated attack on another male.

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The court heard that gardaí received reports of a public fight breaking out, and the officer alleged that the incident unfolded across “four main streets of Dublin” and the defendants were still pursued on Henry Street and O’Connell Street.

Defence solicitor Yvonne Bambury said her client would obey bail conditions, but the garda said that did not allay his concerns.

A relative of Darragh Dunne told the court it happened after a young female had called for help because of problems she was having with a group of males.

The accused told the court that led to him going to the shop with the bat to protect her.
Mr Dunne agreed he had taken the law into his own hands and asked if he had thought about calling gardaí; he replied, “It’s not in my nature”.

He claimed a mob of 20 men chased him and his nephew, and they had to hide in the H&M.

Judge Dempsey refused his bail and remanded him in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court next week.

No further arrests have been made, but Garda Hayes said the investigation was in its early stages.

There was no objection to Clive Dunne’s bail, and he was ordered to stay out of Dublin 1 before his case was adjourned, pending directions from the DPP.

Legal aid was granted to the pair.