Gang violence is a problem all over the world. Footage capturing a Dublin gang messing with bystanders as they try to board a train is a prime example. Things get out of control when one gang member nearly kills a young woman by pushing her onto the train tracks.

The video shows about five gang members walking along the train platform, some are on bikes. One gang member kicks a girl in the face as he dismounts his bike. A second member walks along taunting passengers as they try to catch their train.

He encounters a young woman and gets in her face as his fellow gang member nudges her in the back with a bike wheel. She is thrown off balance and stumbles onto the train tracks getting caught between the train and the platform.

The gang members look back, visibly in shock, but leave the other passengers to help the girl up. Later reports state that the girl was only 17 and suffered a concussion after the event.

The Story Behind It

The footage of the accident, which happened at Howth Junction in Dublin, has since gone viral. It was captured in April of 2021. The gang had been kicked off the train for violent behavior but remained loitering on the platform.  

Thankfully, the teenager was saved due to the fast thinking of the crowd and a security guard. The crowd alerted the security guard that the woman had fallen onto the tracks. He ordered the crew to stop the train from moving and pulled her off the tracks.

The incident emphasizes the impact gang violence has on society. Dublin residents have noted the gang’s disruptive behavior and feel their young age makes them feel invincible. They constantly engage in reckless activity that endangers local citizens.

An Arrest is Made

The Dublin gang may have felt as if they were invincible, but they weren’t so lucky this time. They were arrested by local police.

“Three youths (two aged 16 years and one aged 13 years) were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder under the Public Order Act, 1994,” a garda spokesman explained.

“All three are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Clontarf, Reheny, and Coolock Guards stations. Investigations ongoing.”

Authorities also mentioned that the boy’s clothing, bicycles, and mobile phones were seized. They were later released but faced their day in court in May of 2022.

The Outcome

Two of the youths were charged with violent disorder. Due to their peripheral roles, Judge Paul Kelly, who presided over the trials, allowed their cases to remain in Dublin Children’s Court.

The boy who pushed the girl faced an additional charge of assault causing harm.  His case was separated and sent to Circuit Court for trial.

The boy pled guilty to the charges, but the judge took mitigating factors into account including his plea, his lack of prior convictions, and his apparent remorse over his actions. He was sentenced to community service.

The boy admitted that he was “in shock” after the incident and never meant for the girl to fall off the platform. He said he looked back to see if she was okay. He described his behavior as “completely thoughtless” and said he was “embarrassed and ashamed by his connection to these events.”