Man who stabbed friend gets eight years

A man has been sentenced to eight years for stabbing his friend leaving him with life threatening injuries.

Jason Curry, aged 23, who was acquitted of the murder of David Rooney, aged 35, at the Central Criminal Court in Oct 2009, has 25 previous convictions including another eight year sentence for stabbing his aunt’s partner in Jun 2006.

Judge Patrick McCartan had suspended the final three years of that sentence, which was handed down in Mar 2010. The sentence had been backdated to reflect time that Curry had spent on remand in prison. He was under the suspended portion of this term when he stabbed Shane Day in Ballinteer in Jun 2012.

This suspended sentence was re-activated in Mar 2013 and backdated to Oct 2012 after Judge McCartan was made aware of this case.

Curry, of Leighlin Road, Crumlin, in Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Mr Day causing him serious harm on Jun 6, 2012.

Garda Raymond Regan told Vincent Heneghan, prosecuting, that gardaí who were called to the scene found Mr Day “blue in colour and not responding”. They performed first aid on him until an ambulance crew arrived and took him to St Vincent’s Hospital.

He was treated for two stab wounds to the chest and four to the stomach. His injuries were considered life threatening and he spent 23 days in hospital.

Mr Day later went on to make a full recovery but a medical report noted that he has an ongoing difficulty with his leg.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring yesterday commented that the gardaí who arrived on the scene “perhaps saved Mr Day’s life”.

She acknowledged that Curry had “atrocious and tragic family circumstances” and “fell into contact with the justice system from an early age”.

“Perhaps he never had a chance at the start but he has done nothing while at liberty to better himself.”

Judge Ring sentenced him to eight years in prison consecutive to the term he is currently serving.

The final 18 months of the term was suspended on the condition he engages with the Probation Service and is of good behaviour for those 18 months.