Teens who seriously assaulted New York tourist in Dublin to face trial

Gardai in Dublin served books of evidence on June 12 on two of the three teens who are accused of attacking US tourist Stephen Termini on Dublin's Talbot Street on July 19 last year.

The teens - aged 15, 16, and 17 - cannot be named under Irish law as they are minors.

On Wednesday, Gardaí served books of evidence on the two older teens in Dublin's Children's Court. 

Judge Paul Kelly informed the court that the two eldest boys will be sent forward to the Dublin Circuit Court and their case will be listed for July 4, the Irish Times reports.

The third book of evidence will be served later this month. 

Termini, 57, was seriously assaulted at about 10:40 pm on Dublin's Talbot Street on July 19 last year. 

He sustained five life-threatening injuries - one to his right eye, a brain bleed, a head injury, a skull fracture, a traumatic brain injury, and a fractured cheek. He was on a ventilator for two days and in intensive care for two weeks and remained in Dublin's Mater hospital until the end of August.

The Irish American had been “saving every penny” for his trip to Ireland where he was planning to research his Irish roots, his sister told IrishCentral. 

A male juvenile was arrested and charged on July 23, while two other male juveniles were arrested and charged on July 27. All three were granted bail on strict. However, in March, two of three had their bail revoked for breaching their bail conditions and were remanded into custody.

In March, the Dublin Children's Court heard that Termini's injuries were "nothing short of devastating" and that medical reports stated the injuries "created a substantial risk of death."

Termini, who returned to New York last September, told the Irish Mirror in April that he had recently been hospitalized after suffering a seizure.

Despite the ordeal, Termini maintains goodwill towards Ireland and the Irish people and still wants to move back to Ireland. He even told the Irish Mirror that he had changed his surname to an Irish one.

“I just want to get back to work to save my money to get back to Ireland, he told the Irish Mirror.

“I changed my last name and everything because my great-grandmother came from Newport Ireland and died here.

“So I legally changed my name to reflect that.

“I just want to come back to Ireland and live out the rest of my days there.”