– Man pleads guilty to attack on American tourists in hotel lift
– Man confesses to violent assault on US travelers in elevator.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Claire Henry
A man who carried out a vicious and unprovoked assault on two American tourists in their sixties in a Dublin hotel elevator is set to be sentenced later this year.
Sean Dunne, 26, currently residing at Clover Hill Prison, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm against a man and a woman on April 7th, 2023, at the Ashling Hotel on Parkgate Street, Dublin.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Dunne has a troubling history with 10 previous convictions, including charges related to threatening and abusive behaviour, breach of a barring order, and criminal damage.
Garda Stephen Lawlor, who responded to the incident, recounted that he received a call about an alleged assault just after 9pm on the night in question. Upon arriving at the hotel, he found Dunne being restrained on the corridor floor with blood evident on the carpet.
Dunne was promptly arrested and cautioned at the scene before being placed in a Garda van for further questioning.
The victims, a couple in their sixties from the United States, informed Gardaí that they had returned to the hotel after dining nearby. They proceeded to the hotel bar for a drink before entering the lift, where Dunne also boarded.
Garda Lawlor detailed that Dunne threatened the woman, stating he would “rape her and kill him,” pointing towards her husband. Subsequently, he struck the woman in the mouth and proceeded to attack her husband.
The woman managed to activate the panic button, and when the lift doors opened, she screamed for help, alerting others to come to their aid.
Despite the intervention of onlookers, Dunne continued his assault on the man, resulting in a chaotic scene with blood splattered around the lift.
Unprovoked Attack
As Dunne was being restrained, he persistently threatened to kill the man, who was visibly shaken and trembling on his knees.
Emergency responders treated the couple at the scene, fortunately avoiding the need for hospitalisation. The woman described the attack as entirely unprovoked to the Gardaí.
Photographic evidence of the injuries sustained by both victims was presented in court, illustrating the severity of the assault.
The couple, whose visit to Ireland was coming to an end, returned to the United States the following day, still reeling from the traumatic incident.
During his interview with authorities, Dunne denied any involvement in the assault, despite overwhelming evidence against him.
Following his arrest in April 2023, Dunne opted to plead guilty in advance of the trial, acknowledging his role in the violent attack.
Garda Lawlor concurred with the defence counsel, characterising the assault as a frenzied and unprovoked act, emphasising that Dunne had no prior connection to the victims.
It was disclosed in court that Dunne had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2020, leading to struggles with homelessness and substance abuse. However, his time in custody has seen a significant improvement in his mental health, with Dunne now off addictive substances and consistently taking prescribed medication.
Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley has requested a report from the probation services and postponed the final sentencing until October 2024 to assess Dunne’s progress and determine the appropriate course of action.
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1. Man pleads guilty to frenzied attack on American tourists in hotel lift
2. Guilty plea in frenzied attack on American tourists in hotel lift.
