Slashed man in the neck and forehead in revenge attack
Carlow courthouse Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A MAN who slashed another man on the forehead and in the neck in broad daylight in Carlow town centre was carrying out an act of retribution, Carlow Circuit Court heard recently.
Myles Doran, Ivy Cottage, Fruithill, Graiguecullen pleaded guilty to assaulting Francis Lynch at Potato Market, Carlow on 20 July 2022.
Detective Garda Eoin McGrath told the court that Mr Lynch was sitting by the fountain on Potato Market drinking cans of beer with his brother when Mr Doran came up from behind, slashing him across the forehead and in the neck.
Detective McGrath continued that Mr Lynch told gardaí that he turned and saw Mr Doran and called him “Scaldy Doran” and that the defendant replied not to call him that.
Detective McGrath said that witnesses saw 44-year-old Mr Doran shouting at Mr Lynch and that the defendant was seen with a knife in his hand. He also said that witnesses saw the injured party fall to the ground before making his way into a local betting office, looking for help. Witnesses also told gardaí that Mr Lynch had blood pouring down his face as he sought help and that a passerby told him to apply pressure to the wounds.
Judge Eugene O’Kelly heard that Mr Lynch sustained a 7cm laceration to his forehead and a 15cm laceration to his neck in the assault and that Mr Doran was found with a knife when he was arrested later that day.
State prosecutor Niall Storan said that Mr Doran had 128 previous convictions over a 28-year period and he has just completed a sentence for a drug offence.
Luke O’Higgins BL told the court that there was “history” between Mr Doran and Mr Lynch because the latter had stabbed Mr Doran the previous year. He continued that that incident was “very serious” and that Mr Doran had almost died, receiving the last rites five times while he was in hospital. Mr O’Higgins said that Mr Doran continues to have complications from the stab wound that he received to his abdomen and that he will need more surgery on it.
Mr O’Higgins told the court that the assault by Mr Doran on Mr Lynch “was not a well-planned incident” as it was “in the middle of the day, in the middle of the town with lots of CCTV footage available”.
He said that Mr Doran’s ex-partner died in 2018 under tragic circumstances and from 2018 to 2022 “he went on a rampage”.
Mr O’Higgins continued that Mr Doran’s father was involved in criminality and that he was reared by his grandparents. He also said that his client had a problem with drink and drugs all of his life and that he’s now on methadone in prison.
Judge O’Kelly was also told that the injured party has since died, in circumstances not related to the attack by Mr Doran.
Judge O’Kelly noted it was “lucky” that the neck laceration was not fatal and that there were “a number of aggravating factors involved in the case”, including the use of a knife to the victim’s face and neck and that it happened in broad daylight in Carlow town centre.
He also said that Mr Doran had shown remorse and that he had been assaulted by Mr Lynch previously.
Judge O’Kelly then sentenced Mr Doran to three years in prison, suspending the final two years for a period of two years. He also ordered the defendant to be under the supervision of the Probation Service during that time.
