Man stabbed a father and son in Louth housing estate

A 22- year-old man who stabbed a father and son next door to his family home, has been given a three and a half year suspended sentence at Dundalk Circuit Court.

The defendant, who can’t be named due to a recent Supreme Court ruling on juvenile offenders, had pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm arising out of the incident in a Dundalk housing estate on April 19th 2020.

The defendant, who had been asked to leave the house party, had returned looking for cigarette filter tips, and stabbed the first victim in the back, as he turned to get the person the accused was looking for.

That stab victim’s father, was himself stabbed in the lower back, during a scuffle as he attempted to hold the 17- year-old at the scene.

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While he didn’t require hospital treatment, his son required a number of stitches, but both have since made a full recovery.

The court heard the most recent Probation report identified how the 22-year-old has made significant progress in terms of engagement and his insight into his offending.

Judge Dara Hayes said it was an entirely unprovoked attack, and at the time the then teenager had two previous convictions for drug and public order offences, but has not come to further adverse garda attention and was himself the victim of assault causing serious harm at the age of 16.

Judge Hayes imposed consecutive sentences totalling three and a half years he suspended in full, but he warned the defendant he would serve the sentence if he comes before the courts again during that period.

The 22-year-old replied "Thank you Judge. I appreciate it".