Tourist attacked for helping mugging victim in Dublin

A US tourist suffered permanent facial scarring after intervening in a mugging in Dublin, Ireland.

Garth Russell and his brother Patrick were chased down the quays of the River Liffey by four men and attacked with glass bottles after they intervened to try to stop a robbery.

Mr Russell still has glass embedded under his eye following the violent assault in Temple Bar in April 2012.

Patrick's arm was "broken by a large bottle that was meant for my head", Garth said.

"My brother put up his arm in defence and the bottle broke it. I thank my brother for that. I had been hit with multiple bottles at that point. I was pretty out of it. When I was hit with the first one, that was the one that caused the scar that runs from my forehead down to my cheek.

"I couldn't see at that point. I had a lot of blood on my face. That's when things went very dark," he said.

The New York stockbroker was told by a surgeon that it looked like someone tried to scalp him.

Three of the gang were jailed yesterday for between three and five years. Ian Dent (21), was sentenced in the Circuit Court to five years in jail on two counts of violent disorder. Aidan Finnegan (28), was sentenced to four years after being found guilty of one count of violent disorder.

Richard Fish (24), pleaded guilty to two counts of violent disorder and was sentenced to three years in prison.

A fourth accused, Anthony Clifford (23), was sentenced last December to six years in jail with one year suspended after pleading guilty to two counts of violent disorder, reports the Irish Independent.

Judge Patrick McCartan criticised the juvenile justice system as being incapable of dealing with violent young men who "prowl the streets taking their opportunities as they arrive".

Mr Russell praised Irish gardaí for their efforts in tracking down his attackers and said he wants to put the experience behind him, reports RTE.ie.

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