A man convicted of participating in last year’s Dublin riots has said he achieved nothing except making himself “look like a scumbag”.
Declan Donaghey, of Williams Place Upper, Dorset Street, was charged with arson, violent disorder, criminal damage and rioting.
The court heard the violence in Dublin on November 23rd, 2023, was, “One of the gravest examples of public disorder in the history of the State.”
Donaghey was caught on camera throwing a burning box into the back of a Garda patrol car, causing it to be completely destroyed by fire.
He also damaged a second Garda car by jumping on the bonnet and attacked a migrant centre.
Following his arrest, he insisted he was not a racist and just got “caught up in it” after hearing about the earlier attack at a school.
When Gardaí asked if he thought he made a difference, he replied, “No, I only made myself look like a scumbag.”
He’s been jailed for a total of seven-and-a-half years - with the final year suspended.
Main image: A car burns on Parnell Street in Dublin, 23-11-23. Image: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie
