By Fiona Ferguson
A man with 167 previous convictions stabbed a motorist five times with a screwdriver before fleeing in the victim’s car while the injured man was still in the back seat, a court has heard.
Brian O’Connor (31) and another man threatened to kill the 55-year-old victim after approaching him as he sat in his parked car on Dorset Lane in Dublin in the early hours of August 30, 2025.
O’Connor, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seizing a vehicle by force and assault causing harm.
He has 167 previous convictions, including robbery, assault, burglary, possession of weapons and affray as well as road traffic and public order offences.
O’Connor, with an address at Wheatfield Prison, has been in custody since the date of the offence.
Judge Orla Crowe adjourned finalisation of sentencing after hearing evidence in the case until November to allow a probation report be prepared.
Garda Mark Callanan told Kate Egan BL, prosecuting, that the victim was on his way home from a friend’s house and parked in Dorset Lane to make a phone call.
He heard a banging noise and saw two men, O’Connor in a grey hoodie and a second man in a wine coloured top.
He said O’Connor was holding a screwdriver and the second man had a Stanley knife.
The culprits said they would kill him if he did not give them the car, leaving him scared and fearing for his life.
The second man punched him twice with a closed fist.
The victim tried to get away from the car and O’Connor began to stab him. He stabbed the man five times, four times to his arms and once to the chest.
While this was happening, the second man was trying to start the car.
When the men got the car started, the victim jumped in the back as they moved off because he did not want the men to take his car.
The driver took off and hit a number of cars while leaving the lane and out onto the North Circular Road.
Both men continued to tell the victim that they were going to kill him, leaving him extremely frightened.
They stopped the car outside Gill’s Pub and both men fled the area.
Gardai who had been alerted by a 999 call from a witness arrived and the victim was taken to hospital.
He was in extreme pain, frightened and in shock. Photos of his injuries were shown to the judge.
Gardai later stopped O’Connor and found the screwdriver in his possession. CCTV was harvested from the area and dashcam footage obtained from a passing car.
The injured party did not wish to make a victim impact statement.
The garda agreed with Garrett Baker SC, defending, that the victim had not lost consciousness and there was no need for surgical intervention.
Mr Baker said his client had a difficult childhood and developed a serious drug and alcohol difficulty.
He said another judge had remarked that as his client had spent so much time incarcerated, there was a real risk he may become institutionalised.
He said however there was a ray of light in recent times and a dawn of realisation in his client that he can not simplly continue to offend and remain stuck in this loop.
He said O’Connor is engaging with drugs services in custody and hopes to get residential treatment in the future.
He said his client is showing a willingness to work towards recovery.
O’Connor is now an enhanced prisoner and is working.
He handed in a letter of apology, which he said reflects his client’s desire to change his life.