Louth man jailed for ‘almost torture' of victim he livestreamed on Facebook

Irish Independent

a day ago

Judge Dara Hayes said it effectively amounted to a period of 'almost torture' inflicted on the victim.
Declan Grimes, Grange Drive, Muirhevnamór, Dundalk, used the man's phone to livestream the attack which took place at a house in Dundalk.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of false imprisonment and one of assault causing harm and received concurrent sentences of 7 years, and 3 years, nine months, respectively.
These were marked consecutive to a fifteen-month term for affray arising from a separate matter, amounting to a total of 8 years and three months. The final two years were conditionally suspended.
The substantive incident occurred at Earls Court, Armagh Road, Dundalk, on May 7/8, 2023, and video clips were played to the circuit court which showed the defendant verbally abusing and threatening the other man.
The assault was livestreamed on Facebook. A member of the victim's family recognised the house from a photo on Snapchat.
Gardaí were contacted and the Armed Support Unit deployed though by that stage they were unaware that the victim had been released.
Evidence was previously heard that the injured party accompanied his former partner to her father's Month's Mind Mass. Mr Grimes, the deceased's best friend, sat beside them.
The victim and the woman went to the house in Earls Court where alcohol and cocaine were taken.
They were joined at 4am by the defendant and began reminiscing about the deceased man.
The next day Mr Grimes and the female went out to get drink. When they returned the victim decided to go out before changing his mind and going back to the house.
When he arrived he saw the woman smoking crack cocaine and took the pipe from her. Declan Grimes punched him twice in the mouth.
He sought refuge in the bathroom where he was further assaulted, including with the pedestal of the sink.
The man locked himself in until effectively lured out by the woman on the false premise that the accused had left.
The victim was then subjected to a 'savage beating'. Others joined in but Grimes was the principal offender.
The man was tied to a chair and beaten about the head. The attack, with various implements, continued for in excess of three hours.
He lost consciousness at times. He was eventually permitted to leave the property.
When Gardaí arrived the defendant was spotted at a window. Entry was forced. Once inside officers saw that the house had been cleaned, and the washing machine was on.
The defendant had to be subdued with pepper spray before being handcuffed.
He has 76 previous convictions, among them five from the circuit court including for assault causing harm, aggravated burglary and making threats to kill. There were district court convictions for assault, robbery, affray, burglary and criminal damage.
He has been in custody on these charges since May 9, 2023.
Separately, the defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of affray stemming from a confrontation with another man at the Social Welfare Offices in Dundalk on November 15, 2022.
When Grimes walked in he spotted a male sitting there. There was bad blood between them. A verbal exchange took place.
CTV footage showed the defendant making some movement towards the other man. This person pulled out a knife.
There was no actual violence or damage to property.
A probation report detailed that Declan Grimes and his twin sister were the eldest of four. His parents were separated.
He had a troubled family background including one particular incident of trauma when a child.
He began taking cannabis at 10 and drinking alcohol at age 12. He went on to abuse, Ecstasy, heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, his main drug of choice.
A random drug test in jail last January came back negative. He was engaged in education courses and was in protective custody.
The report continued that the defendant had taken responsibility for his offending and was deeply ashamed.
He was at high risk of reoffending. The most serious charges had occurred during the currency of a suspended sentence.
The defendant had written a letter to the court in which he said he was tired 'of the revolving door of prison'.
Judge Hayes said that extracts of the assault footage 'made for difficult viewing'. The victim received many blows to the head in an attack which was livestreamed on social media.
He had suffered 'an horrific ordeal' at the defendant's hands.
The six-year and three-month sentence imposed was backdated to May 9, 2023.