A CIRCUIT Court judge has expressed concern over young men’s “ready use” of knives in disputes.
Her comments came after hearing how an 18-year-old repeatedly stabbed a man in front of his 10-year-old child.
Justin Fagan, now 20, of Rathvale Park, Coolock, was sentenced to three years in prison with two suspended by Judge Katherine Delahunt.
“The ready use, by you and other young men, of knives to solve disputes is a very serious problem in this city,” she said. “Young men are going out armed with knives and I have to take this into account.”
Fagan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Wayne Carr on June 19th, 2008, at Woodbine Road, Raheny.
Sgt Jack Murphy told prosecuting counsel Remy Farrell that Fagan was the nephew of Mr Carr’s deceased partner.
Sgt Murphy said Fagan suspected Mr Carr had “improper intentions” towards his girlfriend and there had been text messages and phone calls exchanged over this. Fagan had just finished his Leaving Certificate exams and had been drinking that night when he decided to confront Mr Carr.
He went to the house of a friend who tried to calm him down, but Fagan took a butter knife and went to the victim’s home. He started kicking his front door and shouting: “Come out! Come out! Who do you think you are ringing?” Mr Carr opened the door dressed in his underwear and Fagan lunged at him, stabbing him in the face, just below the hairline. He continued to stab him in the face as Mr Carr tried to protect himself with his hands.
Mr Carr’s 10-year-old daughter came downstairs in the middle of the attack and Fagan stopped when she screamed.
Fagan started to hug the girl, telling her he loved her and reassuring her, while Mr Carr rang an ambulance. Fagan fled but was found later by gardaí at his home. He had told his mother what happened and she had put his blood-stained clothes aside for gardaí.
Mr Carr required 18 stitches and was left with several scars and a disruption in his speech patterns.
Martina O’Neill, defending, said Fagan had no previous convictions. She said he had a tragic family background and his father had died from drug abuse in 1993.
She said that Fagan was close to his late aunt and had lived with her for a period, as his mother had also been a drug addict. She said that when his aunt died he was one of the first to come across her, and had tried to resuscitate her.
The judge said she noted his admissions and co-operation with gardaí, but said she had to take into account the “element of premeditation”.