Jailed for cowardly attack on young girl

Andrew Carey

andrew@limerickpost.ie

A VICIOUS attack by two men and two women on a 15-year-old girl they suspected of stealing a phone was described as a “cowardly act” by the judge who sentenced them for violent disorder at Limerick Circuit Court last week.

The two men were jailed for 18 months while the women received suspended sentences.

Judge Tom O’Donnell imposed three year sentences on Mark Mulqueen (45) and his nephew John Lysaght (25), both from the Prospect area of Limerick city, but suspended the second half of the jail terms. 

Teresa O’Neill (29) and her sister Sarah O’Neill (24), who are also from Prospect area,  pleaded guilty to engaging in violent disorder. They were sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for a period of three years.

The court was told that a brawl erupted around 4.30pm on May 6, 2013 at Davis Street in Limerick city centre.  Mark Mulqueen claimed that his mobile phone was taken by a group of youths he encountered earlier on Parnell Street. He suspected that the 15 year-old girl was one of the group and confronted her.

Gardaí said that the young teenager was attacked and beaten. The gang pulled her hair, punched and kicked her during the incident which lasted for around 40 seconds and was captured on CCTV.

Imposing sentence, Judge O’Donnell said it was clear they targeted the 15-year-old as the suspected phone thief so they rallied the troops and called for reinforcements.

He added that it was “a particularly vicious incident which included a weapon and a cowardly assault on an isolated 15-year-old girl”.