Man jailed for Temple Bar attack on American tourists
A man has been jailed for five years for a serious assault on two American tourists in Temple Bar.
Anthony Clifford of Mourne Road, Drimnagh was on bail at the time of the attacks in April last year.
Clifford received a six-year sentence with the final year suspended after pleading guilty to two counts of violent disorder.
The 23-year-old was part of a group of youths that attacked and threw bottles at two American tourists who intervened to stop a robbery in Temple Bar.
One of the victims, Garth Russell, a New York stockbroker, suffered permanent facial scaring and still has glass embedded in his face.
His career has suffered greatly because he no longer meets with clients due to his scar.
His brother Patrick suffered a broken arm as he tried to defend himself against a punch from one of the group.
The court heard the pair tried to get into several taxis to escape but the “drivers didn’t want to know about it”.
Clifford has 55 previous convictions and because he was on bail at the time, this latest sentence will not begin until he has completed the prison term he is currently serving.
