A THEOLOGY student who stabbed three men after failing to hijack a car has had his sentence adjourned for one year by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The bizarre incident involving a chase along the Customs House Quay area of Dublin was photographed by a Swedish journalist, on Ireland for the 1995 Eurovision Song Contest.
Stephen Alexander Brown (25), i0f Thornburn Road, Belfast, pleaded guilty to maliciously wounding Mr Joseph Hackett on by 10th last year near the Customs House. He also admitted assault, occasioning actual bodily harm, to Mr Patrick Byrne and Mr Darren Brereton on the same occasion.
Sgt Fergus Trainor said Mr Hackett suffered a serious hand wound which required detailed surgery. He was the most seriously affected victim and still needed treatment.
The defendant's father, Mr Maurice Brown, said his son was completely ashamed and as head of the family he wanted to apologise to the victims. Mr Brown said his son had been a model child who gave no trouble growing up, was very quiet and never showed signs of violence. He had worked at various jobs before deciding to study theology.
Judge Cyril Kelly directed that £2,000 token compensation be paid over. He adjourned sentence to July 16th, 1997.
Sgt Trainor told Ms Mary Ellen Ring, prosecuting, that Mr Hackett was sitting in his car reading when he became aware of someone looking in at him. The person then tried to grab the car keys. Mr Hackett pushed him away and then felt something cut his hand. The attacker mumble something about money or cash and then ran off towards the Customs House with Mr Hackett in pursuit. His hand was bleeding badly.
Sgt Trainor said other people made attempts to stop Brown, who appeared to be carrying a knife. Mr Byrne was stabbed in the chest and Mr Brereton in the leg after coming into contact with Brown.
A taxi man brought gardai to where Brown was outside the North Dock Development Office Brown was subdued and a box of nails along with a pair of handcuffs were recovered from his pockets.
The defendants father said he was formerly a salesman who took up missionary work with the Presbyterian Church after being made redundant. He came to work with alcoholic's band underprivileged people in Dublin following three years theology study.
Mr Brown said his wife had to return North when she suffered a severe nervous breakdown late in 1994. His son looked after her while he [Mr Brown] worked in Dublin, but unknown to them all his son was in crisis himself.
The change in his son began after his girlfriend went to Hong Kong to work. He had become disillusioned with a church he was involved in when money he helped raise disappeared. His son also had a "run in" with a minister in this church over his ex-girlfriend being asked to leave it.
Mr Brown said his family first noticed something was wrong when his son dropped all his friends and locked himself away studying.