US tourist Stephen Termini suffered “five life-threatening injuries” when he was attacked in Dublin city centre last year, a court has heard.
The artist and musician, 57, was severely hurt during an incident on the corner of Store Street and Talbot Street in the north inner city on the night of 19 July.
Three boys, then aged 14, 15 and 16, who cannot be named because they are minors, are accused of violent disorder and causing serious harm to Mr Termini, who is from Buffalo, New York.
The Dublin Children’s Court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended trial on indictment, meaning the case should go to the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers.
The boys, now aged 15, 16, and 17, faced separate preliminary hearings to determine their trial venue.
State solicitor Sean Smith described the injuries as “nothing short of devastating”, and the court heard the victim remained in intensive care for two weeks.
Garda Sergeant Niall Godfrey told the hearing that medical reports stated the injuries “created a substantial risk of death”.
After viewing CCTV footage, hearing an outline of the allegations, and being furnished with hospital reports on Termini, the judge considered their case too serious and refused jurisdiction.
He noted the State needed eight weeks to complete books of evidence for the trio, who were accompanied to court by family members.
Two of them also had bail revoked, and they were remanded in custody after the judge was given lists of dates when they broke conditions imposed by the court, particularly their curfews.
Three CCTV clips recording the alleged incident were played during the hearing.
Mr Termini was first treated in the A&E at the Mater Hospital, and doctors carried out an emergency sight-saving procedure before transferring him to Beaumont Hospital’s intensive care unit for 14 days.
Specialists found that he had five life-threatening injuries to his right eye and a brain bleed, a head injury, a skull fracture, a traumatic brain injury and also a fractured cheek.
He remained on a ventilator for two days and in the intensive care unit for two weeks before being moved back to the Mater for further rehabilitative treatment until near the end of August.
