Ireland Case No. 21568Assault (racist attack)
Second teen sentenced to probation for racist assault at Castleknock
On the evening of 14 August 2020, Xeudan Xiong, a 50-year-old Chinese woman, was subjected to racial taunts and pushed into the Royal Canal at a lock in Castleknock, Dublin. Two boys, aged 14 at the time with no prior convictions, were found guilty of assault at Dublin Children's Court in September. The first boy received a 12-month probation order in December, and the second was sentenced to a nine-month probation bond in April 2023, avoiding a custodial term. A third boy's assault charge was dismissed, and two others faced a restorative justice programme.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced6 Apr
3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Two boys, aged 14 at the time with no prior convictions, were found guilty of assaulting Xeudan Xiong, 50, a Chinese woman, after subjecting her to racial taunts and pushing her into the Royal Canal.
- The boys shouted 'Chinese noodles, fried noodles' at the woman and one said 'Corona, coronavirus' before she was pushed into the water.
- Where
- The incident occurred at the 12th Lock in Castleknock, though some sources place it at the 15th Lock between Castleknock and Ashtown.
- When
- The incident occurred on the evening of 14 August 2020.
- Investigation
- Video footage from a mobile phone and a local shop's CCTV helped gardaí identify the suspects, and the footage went viral on TikTok.
- In court
- The two boys were found guilty by Judge Paul Kelly at a Dublin Children's Court hearing in September.
- A third boy who filmed the incident had his assault charge dismissed; Judge Kelly said his actions were 'appalling' but he was not guilty of attacking the woman.
- Sentence
- The first boy was given a 12-month probation order in December.
- The second boy was sentenced to a nine-month probation bond by Judge Michele Finan at Dublin Children's Court in April 2023, avoiding a custodial term.
- Other details
- The victim told the court she forgave her attackers.
- Two other boys questioned in the investigation faced a Garda juvenile restorative justice programme.
- Passers-by helped the woman and took her to Blanchardstown Garda Station after the incident.
33 statements extracted from the articles
- whatTwo boys, now 16, were found guilty of assaulting Xeudan Xiong, 50, at the 12th Lock in Castleknock on the evening of 14 August 2020. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe boys were aged 14 at the time of the incident and had no prior convictions. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOne boy looked the woman in the eye and said 'Corona, coronavirus'. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe boys shouted 'Chinese noodles, fried noodles' at the woman several times. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe woman was suddenly pushed and ended up in the water. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe boys were aged 14 at the time and had no prior convictions (thejournal.ie)
- whatXeudan Xiong told the court she forgave her attackers (thejournal.ie)
- whatVideo footage of the incident went viral on TikTok (thejournal.ie)
- whatPassers-by helped her and took her to Blanchardstown Garda Station (thejournal.ie)
- whatA teen avoided a custodial term for his role in a racist attack. (extra.ie)
- whatA woman was pushed into a canal during the attack. (extra.ie)
- whereThe woman was at the 15th Lock between Castleknock and Ashtown when the incident occurred. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereAfter the incident, passers-by helped the woman and went with her to Blanchardstown Garda station. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at the 12th Lock in Castleknock (thejournal.ie)
- whereXiong stopped at a little pier at the 15th Lock between Castleknock and Ashtown (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred on the evening of 14 August 2020 (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe judge examined video footage from a mobile phone and a local shop's CCTV, which helped gardaí identify suspects. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe second boy had been under supervision since his conviction in September following a contested hearing. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe two boys were found guilty by Judge Paul Kelly at a Dublin Children's Court hearing in September. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA third boy who filmed the incident had his assault charge dismissed the previous year. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJudge Kelly said the third boy's actions were 'appalling' but he was not guilty of attacking the woman. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA third boy who filmed the incident had his assault charge dismissed (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceJudge Michele Finan imposed a nine-month probation bond on the second boy. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceA co-defendant was given a 12-month probation order with similar conditions in December. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe second teenager was sentenced to a nine-month probation bond at Dublin Children's Court (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceThe co-defendant was given a 12-month probation order in December (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceBreaking the probation terms could result in a custodial sentence (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe victim later told the court she forgave her attackers. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherTwo other boys questioned in the investigation faced a Garda juvenile restorative justice programme. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherVideo footage of the incident went viral on TikTok almost three years before the article. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe second boy had been self-medicating with cannabis but had returned to counselling. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe second boy's father told the court he was staying out of trouble and engaging with a community-based youth programme. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherTwo other boys faced a Garda juvenile restorative justice programme (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 7 Apr2023Teen Avoids Custodial Term For Role In Racist Attack On Woman Pushed Into Canal
The article text is almost entirely search-widget template code; only the headline conveys that a teen avoided a custodial term for his role in a racist attack on a woman who was pushed into a canal.
victim, femalesuspect, teen - 6 Apr2023Teen spared custodial sentence over canal push attack on Chinese woman
Reports the sentencing of the second teenager to a nine-month probation bond, provides detailed testimony from Xeudan Xiong describing the racial taunts and the push into the canal, and notes that a third boy's assault charge was dismissed and two others faced a restorative justice programme.
victim, Xeudan Xiong, 50, female, Chinese, non-irishXeudan Xiongconvicted, 16, maleconvicted, 16, malesuspect, male - 6 Apr2023Teen spared custodial sentence for attack on Chinese woman pushed into canal
Reports the sentencing of the second of two teenagers to a nine-month probation bond, provides the victim's full trial account of the racial taunts and the push, and notes that a third boy's assault charge was dismissed and two others faced a restorative justice programme.