By Sonya McLean
A man who stabbed another man twice in the back of his head, having earlier had a tussle with the victim as he was walking his young baby, has been jailed.
Philip Crowley (33) Of Lein Park, Raheny, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm on October 22, 2021.
He has 12 previous convictions for possession of drugs and road traffic offences.
Garda Eoin Farrell told Derek Cooney BL prosecuting that the injured party was out walking his seven month old baby when he spotted Crowley getting out of a taxi.
Crowley came into his personal space and there was a tussle between them.
The man brought his baby home and returned to a house he had seen Crowley go into.
He could hear people inside and knocked on the door but no one answered.
He knocked again on a front window and Crowley came out carrying a knife in his hand.
The victim said “this has gone to a different level” and walked away but Crowley came after him and struck him twice in the back of his head with the knife.
The injuries sustained later required stitches to close up two wounds after the victim was taken to hospital by ambulance.
A victim impact statement was handed into court but not read out.
The garda agreed with Pieter Le Vert BL defending that his client offered his apologies to the gardaí and the victim.
He had written a letter of apology and had €5,000 in court for the victim.
Mr Le Vert said his client had “an extremely supportive family” and had been a good footballer and hurler when he was younger.
A number of testimonials were handed into court on Crowley’s behalf and counsel said his client has a job opportunity that he could take up next week.
Judge Martin Nolan noted the victim was walking away from the house when Crowley attacked him.
The judge accepted his expression of remorse and the fact that his record of conviction is for minor offending but he said he had attacked the victim with a serious weapon.
Judge Nolan imposed a sentence of three years and suspended the final 16 months on strict conditions.