A MAN WHO procured an attack on a young woman which resulted in her losing vision permanently in one eye had harassed her on several occasions beforehand, she has told a court.

Jack Cummins (21), with an address at Rossmore Road, Ballyfermot pleaded guilty to procuring the commission of assault causing serious harm to Alanna Quinn Idris on Ballyfermot Road on December 30, 2021.

It is the prosecution case he did so by making two phone calls to his cousin Josh Cummins (20).

Ms Quinn Idris (then 17) was struck in the face with the saddle of an electric scooter, which fractured her eye socket and left her permanently blind in her right eye. Her friend Louis O’Sullivan was also assaulted during the incident.

Jack Cummins further pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault causing harm. He has no previous convictions.

Two other men have already been sentenced for their roles in the attack on Ms Quinn Idris and her friend Mr O’Sullivan. A fourth man, who hit Ms Quinn Idris with the e-scooter saddle, has never been identified.

Sergeant Michael Noonan told Edward Doocey BL, prosecuting, today that the two injured parties and a friend had taken a bus from Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.

Jack Cummins and his girlfriend were on the same bus and there were no verbal interactions between the parties.

After they all got off the bus on the Ballyfermot Road, there was a verbal exchange between Jack Cummins and Mr O’Sullivan.

Mr Doocey said the State’s case is that Jack Cummins procured the commission of the assault on Ms Quinn Idris by making two phone calls to Josh Cummins after this interaction and receiving one.

He told the court that a “tacit agreement” could be inferred from the evidence. He also noted the presence of weapons and the outnumbering of the injured parties meant, “there was always a risk that more than minor harm could be caused”.

Mr Doocey submitted to the court that this agreement was formed before any interaction between the four men interacted with the injured parties.

Jack Cummins was not physically involved in the assault of Ms Quinn Idris, but did strike Mr O’Sullivan.

The attack lasted one minute and stopped when passing motorists intervened. The four men then left the scene.

Mr O’Sullivan was treated in hospital for a cut to his head and a puncture wound to his arm, which required stitches. He also had bruising and tenderness.

Ms Quinn Idris underwent emergency surgery that night as she sustained a broken eye socket. She has since had numerous reconstructive surgeries to her right eye socket and a bone graft taken from her hip. She has lost vision permanently in one eye, the court heard.

Photos of her injuries and medical reports were handed to the court.

Darragh Lyons (21) of Weir View, Glenaulin, Chapelizod, Dublin 20, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris, assault causing harm to her friend Louis O’Sullivan and violent disorder on Ballyfermot Road on December 30, 2021. He was handed a sentence of four and a half years in March 2023.

Josh Cummins (20) of Raheen Drive, Ballyfermot, received a five-year sentence, with the final two years suspended in November 2023 for his role in the incident

He pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Ms Quinn Idris. He further pleaded guilty to violent disorder, production of an article, a hurl, in the course of a dispute and to assault causing harm ot Mr O’Sullivan.

Reading her victim impact statement to the court, Ms Quinn Idris said she is now “permanently facially disfigured” due to the attack.

She said this was “not just a random incident between strangers” and told the court there had been other unpleasant encounters between them in the past.

She said she believed Jack Cummins “would harass and target me so often because he did not like me”.

Later, she said she felt “so angry” as “none of this would have happened if he hadn’t made those calls that night”.

Evidence was heard that Jack Cummins and Ms Quinn Idris were known to each other. She had several earlier unpleasant encounters with him, some of which became physical.

In one of these incidents, he threw eggs at her and on another occasion, he pushed her to the ground after putting her in a headlock. The court heard this second incident occurred years before the events of December 30, 2021.

Sgt Noonan said it appeared this past engagement was why Mr O’Sullivan spoke to Jack Cummins after they got off the bus, saying: “Do you like putting girls in a headlock.”

Mr Doocey said it is the prosecution’s case that Jack Cummins made phone calls to his cousin as a result of this conversation, which led to the three other men arriving at the scene.

Keith Spencer BL, defending, said his client acknowledges he made the phonecalls, but “did not intend the consequences which flowed – they are unfortunate and unforeseen”. He said there was no longstanding pre-mediation, but that it occurred in the moment.

He said his client maintains that his decision was made out of fear as he had been threatened and challenged by Mr O’Sullivan.

Mr Spencer noted the probation report assesses his client at low risk of re-offending

His client is engaged to his girlfriend who was present on the night and has a good work history. A number of testimonials were handed to the court.

Mr Spencer suggested his client has “perfect mitigation” and his behaviour on the night was “out of character”.

Jack Cummins read out a letter of apology to Ms Quinn Idris. He said he was truly sorry, wished he could turn back the clock and wished her well in her recovery.

Judge Pauline Codd said the court wanted to consider everything that it had heard. She adjourned the case to July 29 for finalisation and remanded Jack Cummins on continuing bail.

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CCTV of the incident was played to the court. After the interaction at the bus stop, Jack Cummins and his girlfriend walked away.

Ms Quinn Idris, Mr O’Sullivan and a third friend walked to this friend’s house and waited outside while she went in to change out of her school uniform.

Jack Cummins then made two phone calls to his cousin Josh Cummins (20) and received one.

Jack Cummins and his girlfriend walked around the Ballyfermot Civic Centre. They met Josh Cummins, Darragh Lyons (21) and the third unidentified male, who arrived on an e-scooter.

The court heard the four males crossed the road towards Ms Quinn Idris and Mr O’Sullivan. Jack Cummins’s girlfriend remained on the opposite side of the road.

The four men were screaming at the injured parties: “Do you want a knock?”

Lyons asked Mr O’Sullivan if he wanted a “straightener”. Ms Quinn Idris intervened and Lyons punched her once on the side of the face causing her to fall backwards against a garden wall.

The third male had removed the saddle of the e-scooter. Lyons and Mr O’Sullivan were fighting. Josh Cummins who had a hurl and the third male who had the e-scooter saddle also started to attack Mr O’Sullivan.

Jack Cummins was not physically involved at this point, but was close by, the court heard.

Ms Quinn Idris regained her footing and attempted to intervene to prevent Josh Cummins and Lyons from striking her friend.

The unidentified male swung the saddle like a baseball bat and hit Ms Quinn Idris on the right side of her face. She fell to the ground and lost consciousness.

The attack on Mr O’Sullivan continued with Jack Cummins being physically involved at this point and striking him.

Lyons shouted “stab him lads”. The four men jumped over the unconscious Ms Quinn Idris in order to continue the assault on Mr O’Sullivan. He was punched and kicked, struck eight times with the hurl and punches and seven times with the saddle.

Jack Cummins’s home was searched on Januay 6, 2021 and clothing he was wearing on the night was seized.

He provided a prepared statement to gardai during interview. Jack Cummins said he had a verbal altercation with Mr O’Sullivan after getting off the bus and was in fear for his life and safety and for the safety of his girlfriend. He said he then called Josh for help.

Jack Cummins told gardai he never wanted anyone hurt, that it happened very quickly and that he did not think it was going to turn out so serious.

He identified his cousin and Lyons, but refused to identify the third male. He told gardai he didn’t see anyone hit Ms Quinn Idris and confirmed he was present while the assault was taking place. Jack Cummins also said he had made a “grab” for Mr O’Sullivan while he was being assaulted.

Sgt Noonan agreed with Mr Spencer that his client gives a different account of his interaction with Mr O’Sullivan after getting off the bus, including saying that Mr O’Sullivan was being aggressive and asking to fight, which he didn’t want to do.

Mr Spencer noted that his client asserted that the physical fight started after Ms Quinn Idris punched Lyons and that garda description of CCTV compilation states that a female throws a punch to start the incident

Sgt Noonan agreed that Jack Cummins does not physically engage with Ms Quinn Idris during the incident.

It was further accepted that Jack Cummins was co-operative during the investigation, comes from a good family and some “vitriol” was aimed him and his family following this incident.

Mr Spencer told the court his client maintains that he did not see the saddle of the e-scooter being removed.

In her victim impact statement, Ms Quinn Idris outlined outlined feeling emotional distress during the criminal court process as Jack Cummins was living nearby.

She said she constantly relives that moment, imagining what tiny difference could have changed what happened to her.

Ms Quinn Idris said she had to miss a lot of school following the attack while undergoing surgeries. She said her third level studies and work have also been affected.

She said she has undergone six surgeries so far “to try to salvage and fix what was done to me” while Jack Cummins had “all of the free time to do as he pleased”.

She said she cannot look at herself in the mirror and dissociates when she sees her reflection. She said she models, which she enjoys but wonders how much further she could have gone if she was not considered “some inclusive model”.

She also outlined that she feels uncomfortable in public spaces and suffers with flashbacks and nightmares, and emotional distress.