ADHD sufferer admits assaulting garda at Swedish House Mafia gig
A Dublin man who broke an off duty garda's nose at a Swedish House Mafia gig at the Phoenix Park last year has been remanded in custody pending sentence.
Sean Hulgrain (aged 23) of Thornfield Square, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Garda Wayne Keown causing him harm on July 7, 2012. He has 17 previous district court convictions, including a threat to kill.
Sergeant Joseph McLoughlan gave evidence that Gda Keown had attended the concert with friends and that a member of his group bumped into another group, including Hulgrain. One of Gda Keown’s friends had met Hulgrain previously on a holiday in Crete.
Sgt McLoughlan told John Byrne BL, prosecuting, that Hulgrain approached Gda Keown and said: “You’re a garda aren’t you?”
He insulted Gda Keown by calling him a “garda scumbag”, before squaring up to him and punching him in the face. He then ran off through the crowd of concert goers.
Sgt McLoughlan said Hulgrain, a father-of-one, denied being at the gig when arrested later and claimed he had been “down the country” on the day.
Gda McKeown had tracked Hulgrain down through his friend’s association with him on Facebook and had presented this to colleagues investigating his complaint. Hulgrain further denied meeting a group of men from Cork during a holiday in Crete, but later identified himself on a Facebook page printout.
Sgt McLoughlan agreed with Sarah-Jane O’Callaghan BL, defending, that her client hasn’t come to adverse garda attention since August last year and had €2,750 in court as a token of his remorse.
Ms O’Callaghan submitted to Judge Mary Ellen Ring that her client was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age.
“He shoots his mouth off and says inappropriate things and in this case he went too far and punched a man,” Ms O’Callaghan said.
She further submitted that her client supported his partner and their new baby and hasn’t drunk any alcohol since the Swedish House Mafia concert.
Judge Ring remanded Hulgrain in custody pending a probation and welfare report next year.
