Man who hacked sleeping teenager with a machete to serve extra two years in jail

A violent offender who broke into a teenager's home and attacked him with a machete as he slept, causing permanent damage to the victim’s hand, will serve an extra two years in prison.

The lengthened sentence came after the State objected to the undue leniency of his four-year sentence. 

Ms Justice Úna Ni Raifeartaigh said previous Circuit Court Judge Dara Hayes' sentence had been 'unduly lenient' when he set the headline sentence against Dean Dullaghan (25) at eight years, before reducing this to six and a half years, with the final two and a half years suspended.

Quashing this sentence, Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh set a headline sentence of ten years before imposing a sentence of eight and a half years with the final two and a half years suspended, meaning Dullaghan will serve six years in prison.  

Dullaghan, of Saltown Place, Bellewsbridge Road, Dundalk, was convicted by a jury in June 2022 of causing serious harm and aggravated burglary, at Castleross, Castletown Road, Dundalk on January 23, 2020.  

Outlining the background to the case, Ms Justice Ní Raifeartaigh said that the respondent and the injured party had a falling out some months before the attack. 

On January 23, 2020, the injured party, who was 16 at the time, was asleep in his bed, when he was woken up by someone hitting him. He thought at first that he was being hit with an iron bar, but it was a machete that Dullaghan used.   

Dullaghan was hacking at the victim, causing a cut to his knee, before he tried to hit him on the head, but the injured party raised his hand and was struck on the forearm. 

Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said that the overall function of the victim’s right hand was permanently impacted, and he was left with significant scarring across his arm, which required surgery and treatment. 

Dullaghan had nine previous convictions. 

Ms Justice Ni Raifeartaigh said that a more appropriate headline sentence would be ten years. Taking into account all mitigating factors, the judge reduced this by 18 months to eight and a half years with the final two and a half years suspended, making a total custodial sentence of six years.  

Dullaghan entered a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour after his release, as well as engage with the probation services.