A SECOND TEENAGER has been spared a custodial sentence for attacking a Chinese woman who was pushed into a canal in Dublin after she stood up to youths making racial insults.

Video footage of the incident went viral on social media site TikTok almost three years ago.

It showed the woman remonstrating with boys who laughed as she was suddenly shoved into the Royal Canal after she was subjected to racial taunts.

Two boys, now 16, were subsequently found guilty of assaulting Xeudan Xiong, 50, at the 12th Lock, in Castleknock, on the evening of 14 August 2020.

One of them appeared again at the Dublin Children’s Court, and a pre-sentence probation report was furnished to Judge Michele Finan. He has been under supervision since he was convicted in September following a contested hearing.

Defence counsel Doireann McDonagh told Judge Finan that the boy, too, has been the victim of an assault. He had also been self-medicating with cannabis but has returned to counselling and “cut back”.

His father told the court the youth was staying out of trouble, engaging with a community-based youth programme and wanted to continue his education and get the Junior Certificate.

Sentencing, Judge Finan urged the youth to continue with this approach, and noting the report’s recommendations, she imposed a nine-month probation bond.

He must not re-offend and must follow the Probation Service’s directions to divert him from re-offending. Breaking the terms could result in the case being re-opened and a custodial sentence instead.

The judge warned him about those consequences, and while she wished him the best of luck, she said he had already used up two lifelines, “but I think you can do it”.

A co-defendant was also given a 12-month probation order with similar conditions in December.

The boys were aged 14 at the time and had no prior convictions.

They were found guilty by Judge Paul Kelly at a Dublin Children’s Court hearing in September. The woman later told the court she forgave her attackers.

During the trial, Xiong gave evidence. The judge also examined video footage from a mobile phone used to film the attack and a local shop’s CCTV, which helped gardaí identify suspects.

Xiong recalled going for a stroll along the canal, looking at fish and water lilies.

She stopped at a little pier at the 15th Lock between Castleknock and Ashtown. “All of a sudden”, a bicycle rushed toward her and stopped one or two feet away. Xiong said she jumped in fright, and two or three boys laughed.

“I screamed, and they mocked me,” she said, adding that they carried on in the Castleknock direction. She picked up a branch because she was “so frightened” and did not feel safe.

Another group approached her, and one boy “looked me in the eye” and said, “Corona, coronavirus”. Xiong recalled feeling sad but continued until meeting a third group of boys. One of them was on a bike and continually circled her, and she remembered saying, “Leave me alone”.

Minutes later, she heard them shouting, “Chinese noodles, fried noodles, a few times”.

Xiong turned and went after them to tell them it was racial discrimination. She also took out her phone to record them, but they moved on.

Another group of boys surrounded her, and one asked, “What did you do to my friends?”.

She was pushed suddenly. “Next thing I remember, I was in the water,” she said, adding, “The only thing I can remember is being in the water”.

She recalled pulling herself out, and passers-by came to her help and went with her to the Blanchardstown Garda Station. She later found out the boys had uploaded the video to TikTok.

They cannot be named because they are minors.

A third boy who was in the group and filmed the incident on his phone had his assault charge dismissed last year. Judge Kelly had said although his actions were “appalling”, he was not guilty of attacking her.

Two other boys questioned as part of the investigation faced a Garda juvenile restorative justice programme as an alternative to court proceedings.