Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6202Assault · Co. Dublin · 29 Jan 2024

Father fined €300 for courtroom attack on daughter's sex abuser

On 29 January 2024, a father attacked Daniel Martin, 47, in the dock of the Central Criminal Court in Dublin while Martin was facing sentencing after a jury had convicted him of abusing a teenage girl. Martin was bleeding and needed medical attention. The father later pleaded guilty to assaulting him before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court. On 28 March 2024 the father was spared jail, had a conviction recorded, was fined €300 and was bound to keep the peace for a year.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced28 Mar
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A father attacked Daniel Martin, 47, in the dock of the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
Cause
The father attacked the man who had sexually abused his daughter, a man a jury had convicted of abusing a teenage girl and showing pornography to another child.
When
The attack happened on 29 January 2024 while Martin was facing sentencing.
Where
The attack took place at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
Other details
  • Martin was bleeding after the attack and needed medical attention.
  • Martin's victim impact statement was not read out during the proceedings.
  • The father's solicitor said the circumstances were unusual and it had been a stressful time for his family, and the father acknowledged he should not have taken the law into his own hands.
Investigation
Garda Gary Kelly gave evidence in court, and a garda said the father entered the court, approached Martin and began to strike him.
Charges
The father pleaded guilty to assaulting Martin.
In court
  • The case was heard before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court.
  • The judge said the behaviour was totally unacceptable and told the father he could not take the law into his own hands.
Sentence
  • The judge held that a custodial sentence was not necessary, so the father was spared jail.
  • The father was fined €300, had a conviction recorded and must pay the fine within four months.
  • The father was bound over to keep the peace for one year.
26 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA father carried out a courtroom attack on the man who had sexually abused his daughter. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe father entered the court, approached Martin in the dock and began to strike him. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe father admitted assaulting Daniel Martin, who was 47. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe attack happened in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe attack happened in the Central Criminal Court while the victim was facing sentencing. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe attack happened on January 29, when Martin was facing sentencing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe attack happened on January 29 at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe father attacked the man who had sexually abused his daughter. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGarda Gary Kelly gave evidence in court about the attack. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA garda said the father entered the court, approached Martin in the dock and began to strike him. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe father pleaded guilty to attacking Martin. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe father appeared before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge said the behaviour was totally unacceptable and told the father he could not take the law into his own hands. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe father was spared jail, had a conviction recorded and was fined €300. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge held that a custodial sentence was not necessary. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe father must pay the fine within four months and was bound over to keep the peace for a year. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe father was fined €300. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe father was spared jail but had a conviction recorded. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe fine must be paid within four months. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe father was bound over to keep the peace for a year. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMartin was bleeding after the attack and needed medical attention. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe father's solicitor said the circumstances were unusual and that it had been a stressful time for his family. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe father acknowledged he should not have taken the law into his own hands. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe judge described the behaviour as totally unacceptable. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMartin's victim impact statement was not read out during the proceedings. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA jury had convicted Martin of abusing a teenage girl and showing pornography to another child. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 28 Mar2024
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Father fined for courtroom attack on his daughter’s sex abuser

    Reports the father's guilty plea, the judge's comments and the sentence: a €300 fine, a recorded conviction and a one-year peace bond, with no custodial sentence.

    convicted, malevictim, Daniel Martin, 47, male, irish (judged from name)Daniel Martin
  2. 28 Mar2024
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Dad spared jail for attacking daughter's abuser in Dublin court

    Reports the father's guilty plea at Dublin District Court, the fine, the conviction recorded and the bond, and the court's comments on the attack.

    convicted, malevictim, Daniel Martin, 47, male, irish (judged from name)Daniel Martin