Photo of knife stuck in cheek of Limerick man shocks judge
The victim, named as Mr X at Limerick Circuit Court, had been involved in a violent row on a busy city centre street in Limerick when Craig McMahon took the knife from his pocket and stuck it into Mr X’s face.
When gardaí arrived on the scene, Mr X still had the knife lodged in his face. It was later removed at University Hospital Limerick.
McMahon, aged 24, originally from Prospect, Limerick and with an address at Drominbeg, Rhebogue, pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder during which he carried out the knife attack.
Expressing his shock, Judge Tom O’Donnell said: “They say the camera never lies. It is a frightening picture, absolutely and utterly frightening, shocking.”
Remanding McMahon in custody for sentence on January 18, he said the case was too serious to rush to judgement.
Det Garda Brian O’Connor, Roxboro Road Station, told the court a number of men had gathered near Fine Wines in Parnell St on March 16, 2014 when a violent row broke out.
Det Garda O’Connor said the fight started when Mr X, the man who was stabbed in the face, made a lunge at the accused. As the row developed a man named as Mr Y tried to swing a bag of beer cans at Mr X, using the bag like “a medieval mace”.
McMahon took a knife from the pocket of his jacket and stuck it into Mr X’s cheek.
In a letter to the court, McMahon claimed that his mother had been told by gardaí that he was under threat and this was why he was carrying a knife.
Det Garda O’Connor said gardaí had no knowledge of any such message being conveyed to McMahon’s mother.
Defence counsel Mark Nicholas said the photo was a tough starting point for him in making a case for McMahon.
He said ironically, given the nature of the attack, McMahon was studying anatomy physiology in prison.
