Suspended sentence for uncle who brought knife to fight scene

The uncle of a man jailed for seven years for stabbing a teenage father during a street brawl in Tallaght has been given a two year suspended sentence for production of a knife in relation to the fatal incident.

Stephen Warner brought a meat cleaver and a kitchen knife to his sister’s home after a row broke out on her street in which her sons were involved. He gave the knife to one of his nephews who then stabbed 17-year-old Jamie Keogh during another fight.

Warner (aged 40) of Donamore Avenue, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to production of an article for an unlawful purpose on July 30, 2004.

Judge Michael White said his actions during the "complicated and tragic" circumstances were a "matter of some stupidity" and a "serious breach of judgement" but said he was otherwise of very good character.

Judge White heard that it was not clear whether the defendant’s nephew, Mark Warner, had stabbed Mr Keogh with a knife he had found himself or one given to him by his uncle.

Mark Warner (aged 24), also of Donamore Avenue, Tallaght, was convicted in November 2005 of the manslaughter of Mr Keogh from Millbrook Lawns, Tallaght.

Detective Sergeant Robert Barber told Ms Fiona Murphy BL, prosecuting, that Mr Keogh received an injury to his back after a row broke out between a number of people following a party in the home of his girlfriend and their child at Donamore Avenue.

Gardaí arrived and the participants in the row dispersed without making any formal complaint in relation to injuries suffered other than Mr Keogh pointing to the Warner home and blaming its occupants for his injury.

Stephen Warner was asleep in a nearby house where he lived with his partner and three children during the row.

Mr Erwin Mill Arden SC, defending, said his client acted as a father figure to his sister’s sons and went to their house when he heard there had been trouble, bringing with him a meat cleaver and a knife. "If they come back, we’ll be ready," he told his nephews.

Det Sgt Barber said Mr Keogh and his friends arrived at Mark Warner’s house shouting for him to come out and fight. Mark stayed in the house and his brother Kevin went outside and had a "vicious" fight with Mr Keogh.

A group of people congregated to watch the fight and when Mr Keogh began to get the better of Kevin, his brother Mark ran from his house and stabbed Mr Keogh with a kitchen knife which he got either from a dishwasher or from his uncle. Mr Keogh died as a result of the stab wound.

Det Sgt Barber agreed with Mr Mill Arden that Stephen Warner had been "extremely traumatised" by the incident and was "very unlikely" to come before the courts again.