Man gets seven years for stabbing journalist in neck

A Polish man who left a young Tipperary journalist fighting for her life after he stabbed her through the neck during an attempted robbery in Dublin has been jailed for seven years by Judge Patrick McCartan.

Leszek Jarosz (aged 22), who had been in Ireland just three weeks, changed his bloodstained clothes after the attack on Mairead O’Dwyer before later robbing two men who were able to help gardai identify him.

Jarosz, with an address at The Mills, Weavers Square, The Coombe, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. To intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Ms O’Dwyer and to attempting to rob her on May 19, 2007.

He also admitted to robbing Jose Gonzalez, a Spaniard and Luka Martinacon, a Croatian on the same night.

Judge McCartan noted that Jarosz referred to hearing "voices" before the attack when interviewed by gardaí but no psychiatric condition had been diagnosed either here or in Poland where he had given a similar account after a burglary in which he had fractured a man’s skull by hitting him with a metal object.

He imposed seven years for causing serious harm to Ms O’Dwyer and three years concurrent for the two other robberies.

Jarosz, through an interpreter, told Judge McCartan: "I would like to say I am sorry to everyone here and to Mairead O’Dwyer and the others who met me on that night."

He said he was aware that he could have killed the young woman but said he had prayed nightly for her "return to good health".

Jarosz said he wished to make a fresh start in life and be a good father to his new child who had been born to his girlfriend in Poland while he was in custody.

Mr Fergal Foley BL, prosecuting, told Judge McCartan that Ms O’Dwyer did not wish to give her victim impact statement in person but had indicated that the attack forced several "lifestyle changes" such as being nervous on the street and moving address. She was left with permanent scarring to her neck and leg.

Mr Foley told Judge McCartan that the case was "indicative of the newly multicultural Ireland" in which most people came here to work hard and make a life for themselves but a few caused problems.

Inspector Walter Kilcullen told Mr Foley, that Ms O’Dwyer, a researcher on the Newstalk program ‘Moncrieff’, was walking home at about 2.50 am from a work function in Harcourt Street when she was confronted by Jarosz wielding a knife.

Ms O’Dwyer, who has little memory of the attack, was stabbed through her neck. She went from house to house along the street seeking assistance and a man who heard her knocking found her collapsed outside.

Insp Kilcullen said Ms O’Dwyer was taken to hospital where she remained for a number of weeks. She was treated for a wound to her neck through which the knife had entered on one side and exited on the other.

Ms O’Dwyer was also treated for an injury to her larynx and a tear in her throat. Part of a vein was taken from her leg to repair damage in her neck. She was on a feeding tube and ventilator for some time.

Inspt Kilcullen said Jarosz returned home and changed his bloodstained clothes before returning to the street where 40 minutes later he brandished a knife at Mr Martinac and Mr Gonzalez and demanded cash.

As the frightened men handed over €3 and €10, Mr Martinac spoke to Jarosz in Croatian which is similar to Polish and asked him to drop the knife.

Jarosz began to apologise and dropped the knife which Mr Gonzalez kicked down the street. Two house mates of the men happened upon the scene and the four left to return home. They were followed by Jarosz who continued to apologise and gave them back the money he had taken.

Inspt Kilcullen said the men had not intended to report the incident to gardaí but happened to read a report of the attack on Ms O’Dwyer on the internet later that night and decided to alert gardaí. Gardaí took the men on a tour of the area and after viewing CCTV of the robbery Jarosz was isolated as a suspect.

Jarosz was arrested following a surveillance operation and recognised by the men in an identity parade.

Insp Kilcullen told Mr Foley that Jarosz initially denied involvement but eventually admitted responsibility as evidence mounted. He told gardaí he had been drinking vodka and smoking hash on the day of the attack.

He said Jarosz had eight previous convictions in Poland including using or threatening to use violence, several burglaries, handling stolen property and offending the religious feelings of others. The first of the offences was committed when he was aged 11 and he had spent some time in a "reform school" in Poland.

Inspt Kilcullen said Jarosz had been in the country just three weeks and had just completed his first day of work as a cleaner in a hospital on the day of the offence. He grew up in a small village near Gdansk.

Insp Kilcullen agreed with defence counsel, Mr Erwan Mill-Arden SC (with Ms Tessa Feaheny BL), that as Ms O’Dwyer had little recollection of events Jarosz had largely given the evidence against himself.

He also agreed Jarosz had a history of alcohol and drug use but there was no evidence of an addiction.

Mr Mill-Arden said his client had approached Ms O’Dwyer with the intention of robbing her to get money for alcohol. He said Jarosz had held the knife to her throat to frighten her and had stabbed her in "panic" after she screamed.

He said Jarosz had come to Ireland to join his sister after a troubled childhood in Poland. He said Jarosz had been in custody since his arrest and during this time he had become a father and his own father had died.

He asked Judge McCartan to take into account that Jarosz was a foreign national and would have a more difficult time in custody, that he intended to leave Ireland on completing his sentence, had entered an early guilty plea and had been of assistance to the gardaí.