A media lecturer who stabbed a love rival in the face and neck with a wine glass has what Judge Desmond Hogan called the dark cloud of a custodial sentence looming over her.
Melanie Adams, who teaches film and television at the Ballyfermot College of Higher Education, had her sentence adjourned to February 5th, 2004, to allow her raise "an acceptable level of compensation." Adams (42), Idrone Close, Templeogue, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Ms Caroline O'Hanrahan (40), causing her harm on February 7th, 2002. Adams has no previous convictions.
Adams attacked Ms O'Hanrahan, an administrator for the Architectural Association of Ireland, in the toilets of the Irish Film Centre when the two women went to discuss their romantic interest.
Adams had recently broken up with a man that Ms O'Hanrahan was meeting that night at the launch of a book about Irish film directors. Adams became upset at the function, and the victim brought her in to the toilets to talk to her.
A waitress cleaning the toilets noticed the two women having a heated discussion and then Adams broke her wine glass off the hand basin and began stabbing Ms O'Hanrahan in the neck and face with it. She also punched her a number of times.
The witness said both women appeared to be very drunk at the time of the incident, which was about 11.30 p.m., and the book launch had begun at 5.30 p.m. She said she ran out to get the manager when the women started to fight.
Judge Hogan said he regarded the case as very serious because, while she might not have intended it to happen, Adams intentionally broke the glass and stabbed Ms O'Hanrahan, not once, but a number of times and left her scarred. "The dark clouds of a custodial sentence are looming unless you can convince me otherwise," he told Adams's counsel, Mr Luan Ó Braonáin.
Mr Ó Braonáin said it was not a premeditated attack. His client only got paid during the college term when she was teaching. She had debts of €2,400, but the bank had agreed to lend her €1,000 to offer as compensation. Judge Hogan said this would be an insult to the victim.
Sgt Anthony Brophy told Ms Roisín Lacey, prosecuting, that when the manager at the IFC came into the toilets he found Ms O'Hanrahan holding a tissue to her head and blood running down her face. She was treated in St James's Hospital and received stitches to her neck, chin and temple.
The scars on her neck and face were permanent, and she also experienced a numbness around her face for 12 months. Adams was arrested on March 8th, accepted full responsibility for the attack and expressed her sorrow.