Two men assaulted Mongolian couple in Dublin

Two men assaulted a Mongolian couple in Dublin, causing serious injuries, including the man losing part of his ear. The incident happened on August 9, 2016, and the attackers, Robert Costello and Ciaran Whelan, both aged 35, have pleaded guilty to assault. The court heard that the couple was walking home after dinner to celebrate their anniversary when Costello began to verbally attack them. Whelan then joined the altercation, escalating it further. During the fight, Whelan bit off a significant portion of the man's ear. Both men became aggressive when police arrived. The couple suffered serious injuries. The man underwent surgery, including a skin graft, while the woman had a nasal bone fracture and required surgery in her home country of Mongolia. Victim statements showed that the attack had a lasting psychological impact on both of them, making them feel unsafe and anxious. Costello has a criminal record with 29 previous convictions, while Whelan has 33. Both men admitted to having addiction issues but have reportedly started to address them. Their lawyers requested the court consider their efforts towards rehabilitation in sentencing. The case was postponed until June 20 to allow Whelan to participate in a drug rehabilitation program and to raise more money as a gesture of remorse for the couple.