Fingal man jailed for slashing potential love rival

A Dublin man who cut an acquaintance’s ear with a Stanley knife because he wrongly believed the victim was in a relationship with his former partner has been sentenced to 18 months with six suspended.

Patrick Carpenter (aged 24) smashed a window in Brian Dodrill's home with the bottom of the knife and when the man came out to investigate he swung at him, cutting him three times in the face.

He ran off and returned later when Mr Dodrill was able to restrain him but a second man arrived on the scene and kicked the victim in the face, allowing Carpenter to flee again.

Carpenter, with an address at Wellview Grove, Ladyswell, Dublin 15 pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr Dodrill at his home on June 5, 2006. His 14 previous convictions included offences for drink driving, theft and assaulting a garda.

Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court said Carpenter had attacked a person he knew in “an appalling fashion” but accepted that a probation report indicated that he had made attempts to deal with “the root of his offending behaviour”.

She accepted that Mr Dodrill’s injuries were at the “lower end” but said that the weapon Carpenter had used was “significant”.

Garda Pauline Firth told Mr James Dwyer BL, prosecuting, that Mr Dodrill was later treated for superficial wounds to his face and a cut to his ear.

Gda Firth agreed with Mr Niall Nolan BL, defending, that Carpenter had a drinking problem and had misunderstood the situation because Mr Dodrill had not been involved with his ex-girlfriend.

She accepted that Carpenter looked "healthier now" and said she was aware that he had made efforts to deal with his addiction.

Gda Firth further agreed that there had been no contact since between Carpenter and Mr Dodrill but added that the victim has left the area and no longer lives in the house.