Teen stabbed seven times outside Leaving Cert party, court hears

A teenager who was attacked outside a Leaving Cert party in Dublin was stabbed seven times and suffered a collapsed lung, a court has heard.

The incident happened as more than 150 young people attended an exam results celebration at Vela bar and restaurant, at Liffey Valley, west Dublin, at about 12.30am on September 3rd.

Emergency services were called, and a youth in his late teens was taken by ambulance to James Connolly Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

In September, a 16-year-old boy, whose identity cannot be reported because he is a minor, appeared at the Dublin Children’s Court.

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He is accused of assault causing harm to a male, at the Vela car park, on September 3rd. There was no application for bail, and he was held in custody.

The case resumed on Monday for a preliminary hearing to confirm the teen’s trial venue. The DPP recommended it be dealt with at the Circuit Court level, which has broader sentencing powers.

Det Garda David Sheedy gave an outline of the prosecution and played a compilation of CCTV footage from around the venue. He told the court the injured party was involved in an altercation with the accused. The court heard the defendant “produced a knife and made seven stabbing motions towards the injured party”.

The court heard that the youth returned to the front of the premises, where he “collapsed” while the defendant fled.

The court was told he had seven stab wounds to his abdomen and leg area, which required two blood transfusions, and he suffered a collapsed lung.

He spent five days in hospital and his recovery was described in court as an ongoing process. He has to attend physiotherapy for a “deep” injury to his leg.

Det Garda Sheedy said that the youth was expected to recover fully, but “it is taking time”.

CCTV cameras captured the incident, which resulted in gardaí nominating the defendant as a suspect.

When Det Garda Sheedy arrested the defendant a week later, he was carrying a knife in his waistband. The detective said the boy was mannerly but made no admissions when questioned.

He agreed with defence barrister Cecilia Ní Choileáin that he could not say the defendant instigated the incident.

Pleading for the case to be retained in the Children’s Court, Ms Ní Choileáin asked the judge to note the boy’s “fractured” upbringing and how he had been affected following family bereavements. Until then, she said, he had been doing well in school, but afterwards, he started getting into trouble.

However, Judge Brendan Toale held the case was too serious, and he refused jurisdiction.

The teen, accompanied to court by a parent, was further remanded in custody pending the preparation of a book of evidence. He will appear again in court next week.