A man who stabbed a man with a broken bottle nearly three hours after his victim declined to give him a cigarette has been sentenced to two years in jail by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen McElroy (19) Baily Green Road, Howth Summit, pleaded guilty to assaulting Alan Collins causing him harm at Thormanby Road, Howth, on September 18th, 2004.
Judge Katherine Delahunt suspended one year and directed that €4,000 be handed over to the victim to cover his expenses.
Judge Delahunt said the fact that McElroy had returned at 4am to carry out a "planned and premeditated attack" on Mr Collins, having "had time to think and ponder your actions", was a most aggravating factor.
Garda Darren Burke told Joe Barnes, prosecuting, that Mr Collins was smoking a cigarette outside K2 nightclub in Howth at 1.15am. McElroy pulled up in a BMW, got out of his car and asked Mr Collins for a cigarette.
Garda Burke said Mr Collins refused and McElroy asked a further three or four times until Mr Collins told him to go away.
At about 4am, Mr Collins was walking home with friends when McElroy pulled up and got out of his BMW carrying a glass bottle.
He smashed the bottle and attacked Mr Collins with it. Garda Burke said Mr Collins suffered cuts to his arm and face which required 17 stitches.
Seán Gillane, defending, said his client came from a good family which he had "deeply shamed" by his "desperate and inexplicable action". It was "deeply regretted" by McElroy.