Ireland Case No. 5612Violent disorder; production of a hammer as a weapon; dangerous driving · Co. Dublin · 17 Jun 2024
Teenager charged over hammer incident in Phoenix Park, Dublin
On the night of Monday 17 June 2024 in Phoenix Park, Dublin, three gay men allegedly were chased for nearly an hour by six men, who the men said had knives. Gardaí received an anonymous call at about 11.30pm, searched the area, and later identified a suspect, Reece Murphy, an 18-year-old man, who was arrested and charged with violent disorder, producing a hammer as a weapon and two counts of dangerous driving, all allegations. On 24 June 2024 he appeared at Dublin District Court, was remanded on €800 bail with conditions pending directions from the DPP, and is next due in court on 16 September 2024.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Charged23 Jun
2 reports - In court24 Jun
3 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Three gay men allegedly were chased for nearly an hour by six men in Phoenix Park.
- One of the men told Senator Barry Ward that he feared for his life while being pursued.
- Where
- The incident took place in Phoenix Park, Dublin, and the charge refers to Military Road.
- When
- The alleged offences occurred on the night of Monday 17 June 2024, allegedly after 10pm.
- Weapon
- The men alleged the group chased them with knives, while the charge refers to a hammer produced as a weapon.
- Investigation
- Gardaí received an anonymous call at about 11.30pm, attended, and searched the area, but no persons made themselves known to them.
- After further enquiries gardaí identified a suspect, and gardaí said they take hate-motivated crimes seriously and have been in contact with LGBTQI+ advocacy groups.
- A man in his late teens was arrested on Saturday, and later reports say Reece Murphy, an apprentice steel fabricator from Rowlagh Avenue, Clondalkin, was arrested on Sunday and detained at Cabra Garda station.
- Charges
- Murphy was charged under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 with violent disorder, producing a hammer as a weapon at Military Road, and two counts of dangerous driving in Phoenix Park, though some reports describe the hammer charge as brandishing a hammer as a weapon.
- In court
- Murphy appeared at Dublin District Court on 24 June 2024 before Judge Treasa Kelly and was remanded on €800 bail with conditions pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Bail conditions include a curfew from 11pm to 6am, staying out of Phoenix Park and any other public park, having no contact with the injured parties or witnesses, and signing on at his local Garda station three days a week.
- Murphy is due to appear again on 16 September 2024, and legal aid was granted.
- Other details
- His defence solicitor, Wayne Kenny, told the court that Murphy is not homophobic and that the incident was not an attack on the gay community.
- Sentence
- No sentence has been imposed, and the case is pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
65 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe men alleged they were chased for nearly an hour by six men. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man in his late teens was arrested and charged in connection with the incident. (irishtimes.com)
- whatOne of the men said he feared for his life while being pursued. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident took place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incident took place in Phoenix Park, Dublin. (irishtimes.com, dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe man was detained at a Garda station in north Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident took place in Phoenix Park in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whenGardaí received an anonymous call about the incident at about 11.30pm on Monday 17 June 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred on the Monday before the article was published, i.e. 17 June 2024. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe incident happened on the night of June 17th. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe alleged offences occurred on the night of 17 June. (dublinlive.ie)
- weaponThe men alleged the group chased them with knives. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí searched the area and no persons made themselves known to them. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí identified a suspect after further enquiries. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA man in his late teens was arrested on Saturday over alleged violent disorder in the park. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí said they take crimes with a hate motivation seriously and are investigating reports professionally. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí received an anonymous call following the incident and visited the Phoenix Park. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationA search of the area was conducted and no persons made themselves known to gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationFollowing further enquiries, gardaí identified a suspect. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationHe was arrested on Sunday and detained at Cabra Garda station. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí have been in touch with LGBTQI+ advocacy groups. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe accused was arrested on Sunday and detained at Cabra Garda station. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe accused was arrested on the Sunday and detained at Cabra Garda station. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGardaí have been in contact with LGBTQI+ advocacy groups. (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeThe man was charged and detained at a Garda station in North Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe man was charged under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act, 1997. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHe was charged with violent disorder, production of a hammer as a weapon at Military Road, and two counts of dangerous driving in Phoenix Park on June 17. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe accused was charged with violent disorder and brandishing a hammer as a weapon. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeGardaí charged the accused with violent disorder, producing a hammer as a weapon at Military Road, and two counts of dangerous driving. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHe was charged with violent disorder, production of a hammer as a weapon and two counts of dangerous driving. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe man was due to appear in court on Monday 24 June 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe man was due to appear in court the following morning. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe appeared at Dublin District Court on 24 June 2024 before Judge Treasa Kelly. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtBail conditions include remaining out of Phoenix Park and any other public park. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA curfew of 11pm to 6am was imposed. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was ordered to provide his phone number and be contactable at all times. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe had surrendered his passport and was ordered to notify gardaí of any address change. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was ordered to sign on at his local Garda station three days a week. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was ordered to have no contact, directly or indirectly, with the injured parties or witnesses, including on social media. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was ordered to appear again on September 16. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe accused appeared at Dublin District Court on Monday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe accused was remanded on €800 bail with conditions, pending directions from the DPP. (irishtimes.com)
- courtLegal aid was granted to the accused. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge set a curfew between 11pm and 6am. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge ordered the accused to sign on at his local Garda station three days a week. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge imposed a no-contact condition with the injured parties and witnesses. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe accused was ordered to appear again on September 16th. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe was remanded on €800 bail with conditions pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe judge ordered a curfew from 11 pm to 6 am and a condition to stay out of Phoenix Park and any other public park. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe accused must sign on at his local Garda station three days a week. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe accused must have no contact with the injured parties or witnesses in the case. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe accused was ordered to appear again on 16 September. (dublinlive.ie)
- sentenceHe was remanded on €800 bail with conditions pending DPP directions. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherFine Gael senator Barry Ward raised the incident in the Seanad. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherAn Garda Síochána said it takes any crime or incident with a hate motivation seriously. (irishtimes.com)
- otherAn Garda Síochána said it had been in contact with LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups following the incident. (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe is an apprentice steel fabricator from Rowlagh Avenue, Clondalkin. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHis defence solicitor stated he is not homophobic and the incident was not an attack on the gay community. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherLegal aid was granted. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- otherFine Gael's Barry Ward highlighted in the Seanad reports of gay men being chased and confronted in the park. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe incident allegedly happened after 10pm. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherHis phone had been seized by gardaí and he needed 24 hours to replace it. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe had no bench warrant history. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe defence said the accused is not homophobic and the incident was not an attack on the gay community. (irishtimes.com, dublinlive.ie)
- otherThe accused is an apprentice steel fabricator from Rowlagh Avenue, Clondalkin. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 24 Jun2024Man, 18, appears in court over Phoenix Park incident
Reports the first court appearance of Reece Murphy, including bail conditions, the defence statement on the alleged motive, and the next court date.
accused, Reece Murphy, 18, male, named, irish (judged from name)Reece Murphy - 24 Jun2024Man charged with brandishing hammer in Phoenix Park denies ‘attack on the gay community’
Court appearance of the accused on 24 June 2024: bail conditions, the defence's statement that the incident was not an attack on the gay community, and the next court date of 16 September 2024. No existing case in the list matches this incident.
accused, Reece Murphy, 18, male, named, irish (judged from name)Reece Murphy - 24 Jun2024Man, 18, charged over Phoenix Park incident says he's not homophobic
Court appearance and bail hearing; defence statement that the accused is not homophobic; specific bail conditions imposed including curfew, park exclusion, and no-contact order.
accused, Reece Murphy, 18, male, named, irish (judged from name)Reece Murphy - 23 Jun2024Man charged in relation to alleged violent disorder involving group of gay men in Phoenix Park
First report of the incident; man in his late teens charged; incident raised in Seanad by Senator Barry Ward; Gardaí received an anonymous call and conducted a search before identifying the suspect; Gardaí appealing for witnesses and in contact with LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups.
victim, malevictim, malevictim, malesuspect, late teens, male - 23 Jun2024Teen arrested in relation to alleged attack on three gay men in the Phoenix Park
Adds the arrest and charge of a man in his late teens, the Garda account of an anonymous call at about 11.30pm, the alleged chase with knives, and the court date. No existing case covers this Phoenix Park incident.
suspect, late teens, malevictim, male