Boy (16) who stabbed teenager in back jailed for four and a half years

Sonya McLean

A 16-year-old who twice stabbed an older teenager in the back, causing the victim’s lung to deflate, has been given a sentence of four and a half years.

The now 17-year-old, who cannot be named as he is still a juvenile, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing serious harm and production of a knife at Liffey Street, Dublin on May 19th, 2024.

Garda Michael Mac Suibhne told Joe Mulrean BL, prosecuting, that the 18-year-old injured party was travelling by e-scooter on the boardwalk beside the River Liffey when he became aware that he was being followed by another e-scooter, which the co-accused was driving.

The injured party continued onto Liffey Street where the co-accused kicked him off the e-scooter.

He fell into construction railings and was then assaulted in the busy street.

The co-accused punched the victim several times and told him “to get out of town” before the 16-year-old stabbed him twice in the back.

'Dirty knife'

A witness later told gardaí that he saw the 16-year-old take a large knife out of his pants, describing it as “a dirty knife”. He said the accused then stabbed the victim in the back, with the witness describing being able to “see the knife going into the victim’s back”.

The injured party fled the area and heard the co-accused shouting after him: “You're not getting the electric scooter back.”

Gda Mac Suibhne said the victim met with his brother shortly afterwards and blood could be seen dripping down his leg.

An off-duty nurse came to help him and later told gardaí that the victim’s jacket was saturated with blood and she could see “air bubbles” coming from the wound. The teenager lost consciousness before the ambulance arrived

The victim spent four days in hospital where he was treated for a deflated lung. He did not need surgery and has since made a full recovery. There was no victim impact statement before the court.

CCTV of the incident was played to the court.

Mr Mulrean said the co-accused was previously sentenced to two years with the final six months suspended. He was 20 years old at the time.

Gda Mac Suibhne said the two accused were identified after gardaí harvested the entire area for CCTV footage.

The accused was arrested on May 30th, 2024 and brought in for questioning but made no admissions.

He has 20 previous convictions for offences including, drugs, trespass, hijacking a vehicle and an assault which took place in July 2024.

Gda Mac Suibhne agreed with Garret Baker SC, defending, that his client’s co-accused told gardaí he had “some form of grievance” with the victim from a previous incident and when he saw him that day he just “went after him”.

The garda acknowledged that this was claimed by the co-accused but he said that could not be confirmed through further garda investigation.

He accepted that the co-accused was “the driving force” behind the initial assault and further accepted that his client’s plea was “of value” to the prosecution of the case.

'Appalling act'

Mr Baker said it was “an appalling act” and his client had acted in “a disproportionate” manner, which was fuelled by “a chaotic lifestyle” and the fact he was “pumped up on drugs”.

Counsel said his client was fortunate he was not facing a more serious charge.

“It is undoubtedly a serious offence and the charge reflects that,” Mr Baker said.

Counsel said his client is doing well in the detention centre. He said he is “a talented footballer” and uses the gym.

Mr Baker said his client has been the awarded the “highest rate available” to juveniles in detention in terms of the progress he has made.

“Whoever is assisting him there is helping him turn his life around,” Mr Baker said before he added that a positive probation report before the court is supported by “clean urines” in terms of his drug addiction.

Judge Martin Nolan said that the teenager inflicted “vicious and deep wounds”.

“But for the intervention of medical treatment, he could have died and his life was in jeopardy,” Judge Nolan said adding “it is hard to know why he (the accused) did what he did”.

He said the teenager’s convictions would indicate he “has a propensity to violence” but that he is taking advantage of the services in his detention centre.

Judge Nolan sentenced the teenager to four and half years - part of this will be served in prison when he turns 18 years old. The final 12 months of the sentence was suspended on strict conditions including that the teenager engage with the Probation Service for 12 months on his ultimate release.