Man held after frenzied stab attack on woman
Rose Kenny, 49, was stabbed up to six times in the back, neck, and abdomen as she left a flat complex in the south inner city at 8am.
A short time later, a 48-year-old man handed himself into Mountjoy Garda Station. Gardaí were last night hopeful of bringing charges against him.
Ms Kenny was exiting a stairwell of the School Street flats complex, located near the rear of the Guinness Brewery, when the attack took place. She was on her way to work at a local creche.
She stumbled a short distance, before she collapsed. A neighbour raised the alarm. She was taken the short distance to St James’s Hospital and underwent emergency surgery. She was described last night as being in a “critical but stable condition”.
The stairwell and the adjoining area was sealed off by gardaí on arrival, pending forensic tests. Gardaí scoured the flats and the nearby area, along Marrowbone Lane, School St, and Pimlico, for CCTV footage.
Soon afterwards, the suspect handed himself in at Mountjoy Garda Station. Gardaí from Kevin Street Station arrested him and brought him in for questioning.
He was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. It is not clear if gardaí have recovered the knife.
The man was charged in Thailand eight years ago in connection with the brutal murder of a prostitute. The woman, 24, was discovered in the man’s apartment after being stabbed 22 times in the back, chest, and throat. Her hands had been tied behind her back.
The man was granted bail when friends and family posted €30,000. It is thought he fled to Cambodia. Garda sources said they thought he had only returned home in the last few months. It is not clear what relationship, if any, he had with the victim.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information can contact Kevin Street Garda Station on 01 6669400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111, or any Garda station.
