Teenager who slashed a security guards face jailed for four and half years

By Eimear Dodd

A teenager who slashed the face of a security guard following a verbal row, leaving him with a 13cm wound, has been jailed for four and a half years.

Josh Kenny (18) of Brookview Grove, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm on April 25 last year in Belgard Square West, Tallaght.

Sergeant David Kenneally told Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, yesterday that the victim was working when a colleague contacted him about a teenage boy going around a car park on a e-scooter in a suspicious manner.

The security guard went to the car park and asked the boy – Kenny – what he was doing.

Kenny told him to go away.

There was a verbal argument, during which the security guard told Kenny to leave the car park.

Kenny shouted abuse at him, threatening to kill him and cut him up.

Kenny then got very close to the security guard, who pushed him as he feared for his safety and felt intimidated.

A physical altercation then started, which was broken up by another security guard.

The victim went to a security office and a short time later, Kenny and his mother arrived.

There was a verbal row between the parties, during which Kenny said he wanted to fight the victim.

The court heard that Kenny asked the victim for a straightener, then said he would be back and was going to kill and slice him up.

This verbal row continued for about 15 minutes before Kenny and his mother left.

Kenny came back a third time a few minutes later.

The victim told him he was on camera.

Kenny came up very close to him and the security guard looked to see if anyone else was there.

As he did so, Kenny slashed the security guard’s face, before running off on foot.

The victim was taken to hospital and required stitches to a 13cm laceration across his jawbone.

Photos of the man’s injuries were handed to the court.

The man declined to make a victim impact statement.

CCTV footage of the incident was obtained.

Kenny’s mother also contacted gardai about the initial encounter between her son and the victim.

Kenny was arrested, but nothing of evidential value was obtained when he was interviewed.

He had no convictions at the time, but has seven convictions which post-date this, including public order and road traffic offences.

He has been in custody since April 2024.

Sgt Kenneally agreed with Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, defending, that his client felt aggrieved and disrespected and this fed into the complex situation which happened.

It was further accepted that Kenny has a diagnosis of ADHD and a supportive family. A number of testimonials were handed into the court.

Mr Ó Lideadha said his client acknowledges the seriousness of his offending and the injury caused to the victim.

He said Kenny was feeling angry, aggrieved, and perceived himself to have been badly treated, but this was no excuse for what happened.

He submitted to the court that there was an “outburst of anger” by his client at a perceived grievance, but his client’s actions were unjustified.

Kenny has a work history, and an offer of an apprenticeship upon his release.

Counsel said his client has lots of positives in his life, has been supportive of family members and engaged with services.

He asked the court to take into account his client’s youth at the time, and that his convictions post-date this incident and are minor in nature.

Judge Martin Nolan said Kenny caused a “very severe wound” to the victim.

Having considered the mitigation and Kenny’s personal circumstances, the judge said the court considered it a “nasty crime”.

“This young man wanted to exact vengeance on the security man and he did,” the judge said.

“That vengeance was vicious and the injured party has to live with the consequences”.

He imposed a sentence of four and a half years, backdated to April 30 last when Kenny went into custody.

Judge Nolan said Kenny’s age was a significant mitigating factor in this case and he would have imposed a higher sentence if the defendant was older.