Teenager sentenced for murder attempt

A teenager who was sentenced to six years with three suspended for the attempted murder of a 17-year-old has had his bail extended pending an appeal.

Tadhg Costello, aged 19, of Richmond Hill, Monkstown, South County Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Josh Leahy at Johnson’s Court in Dublin City on May 31, 2012.

He had also pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to Mr Leahy and unlawful possession of a knife on the same date.

But Costello changed his plea to guilty of attempted murder on the fifth day of his Central Criminal Court trial last November.

Paul Burns, prosecuting, had then told the court the plea was acceptable and the other two counts would be taken into consideration.

Mr Leahy, who is now 19, was stabbed six times in the back in a row between two groups of youths, which was captured on CCTV.

The Ranelagh teenager suffered a collapsed lung and had a chest drain inserted at St James’s Hospital.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Paul Butler sentenced Costello to six years and suspended the final three years of it.

But the judge deferred the committal order for three weeks to allow him to seek bail from the Court of Criminal Appeal.

The judge noted Costello, who lives with his mother in Monkstown, had no previous convictions and was a minor at the time the offence was committed.

Mr Justice Butler said although the victim’s injuries were serious, they were not as serious as they could have been and that the offending was in the middle range.

However, the judge said the punishment should not be affected by what happened to Mr Leahy.

He said the appropriate sentence was six years, but having regard to the probation report, he suspended the final three years.

The judge extended Costello’s bail, meaning he is allowed to be at liberty for the next three weeks until he must present himself to Dun Laoghaire Garda Station before midday on April 11.

The judge also noted that the defence intends to appeal “at least the conviction”.

Mr Justice Butler said the case was exceptional and that the defendant should be given bail pending an appeal.