By Eimear Dodd
A teenager who struck a man with a pick-axe around ten times has been handed a suspended sentence.
Shane Susa (19) of Hillview Grove, Ballinteer, Dublin 16 pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on July 6, 2023. He has no previous convictions and has not come to garda attention since this incident.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that when gardai arrived at the victim’s house, they noticed his clothes were blood-stained. He told them that Susa had put in his front door and attacked him with an axe.
The injured party was taken to St James Hospital where he remained for several days for treatment. No medical report was provided to the court, which was shown photos of his injuries. The man didn’t wish to provide a victim impact statement.
Having heard facts on Wednesday, Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case overnight to consider sentence. Passing sentence today/yesterday (Thursday), Judge Nolan said, “This is a bewildering case that for reasons only known to the defendant he entered this man’s house and attacked him”.
Judge Nolan said, “The only thing I can glean is that there was a real or imaginary dispute between the injured party, the accused, or a member of his family”.
The judge said he must consider the following: that this defendant pleaded guilty, has no record of conviction, was seventeen at the time, was fully cooperative and at the time, he could be described as having mental health difficulties.
Judge Nolan said that the most important factor was his age at the time and that under the Children Act, custody should be a last resort. He said, “This was a violent attack and said it was irrational behaviour”.
He said he was not going to imprison him. He sentenced him to three and a half years in prison but suspended it in full. He ordered that €4,000 be paid to the injured party via the investigating member of the gardai over the next three months.
The victim told gardai that he’d heard someone banging on his front door shortly after 2pm on July 6, 2023. When he went downstairs, he saw the front door had been put in.
The man also saw Susa, who was holding a long-handled pickaxe. The man knew the then 17-year-old Susa from the local area.
Susa swung the axe and the victim fell. Susa hit the man’s body around 10 times as he tried to block him. The victim was extremely scared during the incident.
The court heard that another man, who is not before the courts, was standing at the door and the victim heard him say “leave it, Shane”.
Susa’s house was searched by gardai later that evening and he subsequently went voluntarily to the garda station for interview. He told gardai he gave the man a “few bangs”, and that there had been an earlier disagreement between the victim and Susa’s mother. Susa said he intended to give the victim a fright.
Susa also told gardai he had mental health and anger issues and apologised for his behaviour.
The garda agreed with Michael Hourigan SC, defending, that Susa co-operated with the investigation, has not come to garda attention since this incident and is remorseful for his actions.
When asked by Mr Hourigan if his client had approached the injured party since this incident, the garda replied “not that I’m aware”.
Mr Hourigan told the court that his client is completing an apprenticeship and had brought €4,000 to court as a gesture of remorse.
He outlined his client’s personal circumstances and background, asking the court to take into account Susa’s age at the time of his offending.
Family members were in court to support Susa. A number of references including from Susa’s mother were handed to the court along with a letter of apology.
Mr Hourigan said his client has “kept his head down” since this incident and has been working to address some difficulties with the support of those around him.