Swords plumber gets four years for stabbing Howth publican

A Swords plumber who stabbed a Howth publican in the leg causing him serious injuries after being ejected from his pub has been sentenced to four years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Brian McGeough (aged 22) stabbed Mr Thomas Gaffney while being restrained outside The Waterside Pub, Howth.

Mr Gaffney told Judge Katherine Delahunt that the doctor stitching his leg had stopped counting at 100 and that he had to received three layers of stitches in the wound. He said he had lost in excess of six pints of blood on the night and had to use crutches for several weeks afterwards.

Mr Gaffney said he has ongoing problems with the wound becoming infected and is now more conscious of dealing with awkward situations that might occur in the pub.

McGeough, of Rivervalley Road, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Gaffney causing him harm on August 25, 2007.

Judge Delahunt suspended the last year of the sentence on strict conditions having taken into account McGeough's early plea of guilty and "genuine remorse".

She described it as a most serious offence. "You came armed with a knife and although there was evidence that you carry such an implement in the course of your work during the day, if you had it for a legitimate reason you would not have had it in your sock," Judge Delahunt said.

She agreed with Mr Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, that there had been evidence that McGeough hid the knife because he was afraid he would not be let into the pub, but Judge Delahunt pointed out that there no evidence of security checks on the door.

Detective Garda Andrew Dignan told Mr Remy Farrell BL, prosecuting, that Mr Gaffney was in his office at the pub at 1am when a staff member told him McGeough was in the pub looking to be served. Mr Gaffney told him it was too late but agreed he could buy some alcohol to take away.

Mr Gaffney went to the male toilets shortly afterwards and was warned by a customer to keep an eye on McGeough who was in one of the cubicles. Mr Gaffney could hear him mumbling to himself and left.

McGeough came out of the toilet and began taunting a customer and when Mr Gaffney intervened McGeough punched him in the ribs. Mr Gaffney, a customer and a bar man brought McGeough outside and decided to restrain him until gardaí arrived as he was becoming aggressive.

Mr Gaffney was contacting the gardaí when he noticed McGeough had a Stanley knife in his hand, he warned the other two men and stood on McGeough's hand so he would release it. Mr Gaffney then noticed blood and realised he had a stab wound to his leg. The two men assisted Mr Gaffney and McGeough ran off.

Det Gda Dignan said Mr Gaffney was taken inside and drifted in and out of consciousness as he lost blood. He was later treated in hospital for a stab wound to the back of his right knee close to the large Femoral Artery.

Det Gda Dignan agreed with Mr Le Vert that McGeough, who was arrested near the DART station, told gardaí he had the knife for work purposes and had put it into his sock as he did not think he would get into pubs if it was in his pocket.

He agreed that McGeough had been drinking extensively that afternoon and evening, had little recollection of the offence and had expressed remorse for his actions.

Mr Le Vert said that McGeough, a father of one, did not drank often but when he did it had a catastrophic effect. He said he now attends Alcoholics Anonymous and no longer drinks.

He said McGeough knew he was lucky not to be in the Central Criminal Court facing a more serious charge.

Mr Le Vert asked the court to consider that McGeough was a young man contributing usefully to society and that this was a once off event.