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. 6365Assault on a peace officer · Co. Dublin · 13 Apr 2023

Man who bit gardaí and claimed to have HIV given 20-month sentence with six months suspended

On 13 April 2023 Dean O'Neill, a 31-year-old man, was arrested after being found with unprescribed medication. During a search in the custody suite at Kevin Street Garda station in Dublin, he said he had HIV and that no one would search him, then bit a garda wearing latex gloves, while the skin was not broken. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a peace officer in the course of their duties, with a further threats count taken into consideration. In March 2024 Judge Pauline Codd imposed a 20-month sentence with the final six months suspended, citing his 109 previous convictions as aggravating and calling him at the "last chance saloon stage" of his life.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced7 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
When
O'Neill was arrested on 13 April 2023.
Where
The incident happened in the custody suite at Kevin Street Garda station in Dublin.
Other details
  • O'Neill was intoxicated at the time and had been arrested after being found with unprescribed medication.
  • Sources differ on the bites: the Irish Times says O'Neill bit two gardaí, while the key facts describe one bite during the search and a second garda who felt a burning sensation and saw a tooth indentation, with the skin not broken in either case.
  • O'Neill has 109 previous convictions.
  • Both gardaí involved have since resigned from An Garda Síochána for unrelated reasons.
Cause
Officers told O'Neill they would carry out a routine search.
What happened
  • O'Neill said he had HIV and that no one would search him, but he does not have HIV.
  • During the search O'Neill bit a garda who was wearing latex gloves; the glove was damaged but the skin was not broken.
  • O'Neill attempted to bite and spit at gardaí in the cell.
Charges
  • O'Neill pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a peace officer in the course of their duties.
  • A further count of making threats to kill or cause serious harm was taken into consideration.
Sentence
Judge Pauline Codd imposed a 20-month sentence with the final six months suspended.
In court
The judge cited O'Neill's previous convictions as an aggravating factor and his guilty plea and efforts to deal with drug issues as mitigating features.
17 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatO'Neill said he had HIV and that no one would search him. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatO'Neill bit one garda, who was wearing latex gloves, during the search. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe garda's glove was damaged but the skin was not broken. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatO'Neill attempted to bite and spit at gardaí in the cell. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe incident happened in the custody suite at Kevin Street Garda station. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenO'Neill was arrested on 13 April 2023. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeOfficers told O'Neill they would carry out a routine search. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeO'Neill pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a peace officer in the course of their duties. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeA further count of making threats to kill or cause serious harm was taken into consideration. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Pauline Codd imposed a 20-month sentence with the final six months suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge cited O'Neill's previous convictions as an aggravating factor. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge noted the guilty plea and efforts to deal with drug issues as mitigating features. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherAnother garda felt a burning sensation and saw a tooth indentation, but the skin was not broken. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherO'Neill does not have HIV. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherO'Neill was intoxicated at the time and had been arrested after being found with unprescribed medication. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherO'Neill has 109 previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBoth gardaí involved have since resigned from An Garda Síochána for unrelated reasons. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 7 Mar2024
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man who bit gardaí while claiming he had HIV at ‘last chance saloon stage’, judge says

    Sentencing report for the Kevin Street custody-suite incident: a 20-month sentence with the final six months suspended, prior convictions and mitigating factors cited.

    convicted, Dean O'Neill, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean O'Neillvictim, malevictim, male