FRESH CHARGES FOR committing “riot” have been brought against two men already accused of serious offences during a massive outbreak of violence, looting and arson in Dublin last year.

The incidents on 23 November in the city centre were among the most serious and “largest scenes of public disorder that has ever occurred in the history of the State”, Dublin District Court had heard. 

They happened after an earlier incident where three children were seriously injured in a knife attack at Parnell Square.

Declan Donaghey, 27, from William’s Place, Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 1, and Kyle Lawrence, 18, of Lurgan Street, Dublin 7, were granted bail with a range of conditions in January.

Donaghey was initially accused of four offences at Parnell Street: arson by setting fire to a marked Garda vehicle, criminal damage of another Garda vehicle and throwing an object through the glass front window of a business, and violent disorder on 23 November.

It has been alleged Donaghey “set fire to a marked Garda patrol vehicle at Parnell Street at 6.45 pm”. It was claimed, “This was the first vehicle set alight, and it is the position of investigating gardaí that this act also contributed to further acts of arson throughout the evening”.

Lawrence originally had five counts of burglary at Footlocker, Arnotts, JD Sports, Lifestyle, and Asics and two charges of violent disorder at Parnell Street and O’Connell Street. The teenager, who is on an educational course, was also accused of attempted criminal damage at Penney’s, Mary Street, and two further acts of attempted criminal damage.

But when they appeared again at Dublin District Court today, Judge Monika Leech heard gardaí had brought additional charges against them.

Both are now also accused that they “committed riot with persons unknown” at O’Connell Bridge on 23 November, contrary to section 14 of the Public Order Act.

Lawrence alone had a second extra charge for causing criminal damage at Arnotts on Henry Street.

Garda Detectives Michelle Fitzpatrick and Alan O’Toole said they “made no reply” to the new charges.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed “trial on indictment” in the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers.

Judge Leech ordered the pair, who have yet to enter pleas, to appear again at the District Court on 10 June to be served with books of evidence and for the granting of return for trial orders.

Donaghey, who previously had to surrender his passport to gardai as a condition of bail, was allowed to get it back for two weeks in May when he will be away on holiday.

In January, the proceedings heard that he was getting social welfare but was looking for work.

Legal aid was granted to the pair today.

The unrest in the city erupted after a girl, aged five, was severely wounded in a stabbing at Parnell Square on the afternoon of 23 November.

Two other children and a crèche worker were also injured.

Riad Bouchaker, 50, who has no fixed abode, was charged on 21 December with the attempted murders of two girls and a boy, as well as assault and production of the 36-centimetre knife.

He remains in custody on remand pending his Central Criminal Court trial.

Dozens of defendants have court cases pending in connection with the disturbances later that day in the city, including a man accused of torching a Luas tram.