Limerick Garda Club stabbing case collapses

A man accused of stabbing a father of four during a 21st birthday party held at a garda club walked free today after the case against him collapsed at Limerick Circuit Court.

Kevin Sheehy (aged 34), Ash Avenue, John Carew Park, Limerick, was accused of assault causing serious harm to Liam Kelly (aged 39) at the Garda Club on Sexton Street in Limerick on October 4, 2003.

The case against Mr Sheehy, who denied the charge, collapsed this afternoon after key witnesses failed to corroborate statements made to gardaí in which they had identified him as the attacker.

Outlining the state's case against the accused, John O'Sullivan (BL) told the jury that Kevin Sheehy slashed Mr Kelly a number of times with a Stanley knife, injuring him in the eyes, hands, back of the head and chest areas.

Mr O'Sullivan said the injured party was sitting near the dance floor with his brother and girlfriend when the accused, who was dancing close to them, produced the Stanley knife in an "unprovoked attack".

The court heard that the men were attending a 21st birthday party, which was not connected to An Garda Siochana but which was held at the garda club.

Medical evidence was heard that Mr Kelly was taken by ambulance from the garda club to the Mid Western Regional Hospital, where he received several stitches for his various injuries, including 12 staples for a 15-centimetre laceration he had in the back of his head.

Counsel for the state, John O'Sullivan, said Liam Kelly had identified Kevin Sheehy as his attacker in a statement given to gardaí on the day after the attack.

However, almost two years later, on September 9 last, Mr Kelly told gardaí that he wished to retract his earlier statement beacaues of "hassle he was getting", the court heard.

When called to give evidence yesterday, Liam Kelly said he believed the name of the man who attacked him was Kevin Sheehy but said he couldn't see this person in court.

Another state witness, Malcolm Kelly, also failed to identify Mr Sheehy as the man who carried out the attack, when called to give evidence today.

A brother of the injured party, Malcolm Kelly, told the court that he might have "exaggerated" when he told gardaí in a statement, that he had seen Kevin Sheehy slash his brother with a Stanley knife.

"I said it but I could have exagerated it a bit," he told the court.

Judge Sean Ó Donnobháin directed the jury to find the accused man not guilty "in view of what had happened".

After dismissing the jury, but before leaving the court room, Judge Ó Donnobháin said he hoped the "bible hadn't taken fire".