Kevin Geraghty, 31, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm following an attack with “homophobic overtones” against a 25-year-old Spanish student, who had only recently arrived in Ireland to study English. The incident occurred in the early hours of September 19, 2024, on Cuffe Street, Dublin 2.

The court heard that the Spanish student had been socialising in a nightclub and was standing outside a bar waiting for a friend when two men approached him. Without provocation, they began shouting homophobic slurs before Geraghty physically attacked the student, punching him several times.

The victim suffered a broken jaw in the assault and required surgery as a result. While he had planned to spend a year in Ireland for his studies, he left the country just weeks after the attack, traumatised by the experience. The court heard that the student’s parents flew from Madrid to offer their support during the young man’s hospital stay.

At the time of the incident, Geraghty was wearing a distinctive orange jacket. Gardaí later identified and arrested him after spotting him wearing the same jacket two weeks after the assault. During questioning, Geraghty made no admissions. He has an extensive criminal record, with 70 previous convictions, including offences related to theft and violence.

Judge Melanie Greally described the assault on the student as “utterly unprovoked” and noted that there were “distinct homophobic overtones” to the attack and subsequent violence. She acknowledged the lasting psychological and physical impact on the victim, who had hoped to immerse himself in Irish culture and improve his English but instead experienced a deeply distressing ordeal.

The judge also remarked on the societal harm caused by such hate-motivated attacks and emphasised the importance of the courts in condemning such conduct.

Geraghty was sentenced to a three-year sentence, with the court recognising his guilty plea as a limited mitigating factor. The case has highlighted ongoing concerns about hate crimes in Ireland and the vulnerability of newcomers, particularly members of the LGBTQ+ community, in public spaces.