Tallaght man to be sentenced later for stabbing

A Tallaght man who “snapped” when he found his mother having sex with a man and stabbed him is to be sentenced later at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Daniel Ward (aged 21) of Bawnlea Close pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Sean O’Riordan on August 5, 2008 in Bawnlea Close.

Detective Garda Eamonn Ryan told Mr Ronan Kennedy BL, prosecuting, that the injured party, Mr O’Riordan, was attending a friend’s birthday drinks in Clondalkin village.

He was texting the defendant’s mother Tracey Carolan during the day as they had been “seeing each other on and off.”

“He had made arrangements to call to her and she agreed with him,” said Det Ryan.

“Ms Carolan texted him her address and he arrived around 1am to her house in a taxi,” he said.

Ms Carolan and Mr O’Riordan were having sex on the sofa in the sitting room when the accused popped his head in the door as he was looking for a lighter to light his cigarette before he went to bed.

“Both parties were naked and Mr O’Riordan quickly got dressed and ran out of the house.

The defendant told gardaí he did not know the man and ran into the kitchen where he armed himself with a knife and ran up the road after Mr O’Riordan.

Mr O’Riordan told gardaí he was out of breath and had to stop running and a scuffle ensued between him and the defendant.

“Mr O’Riordan fell onto a traffic island and then realised he was bleeding heavily and a knife was lodged into his left knee,” said Det Ryan.

He was taken to Tallaght Hospital where it was discovered he had a total of six stab wounds including stab wounds to his knees, shoulder and upper thighs.

Mr Kennedy said Ward had “drank four pints of Bulmers” that night and was “very angry and felt disrespected when he saw a stranger in his home.”

Mr Hugh Hartnett SC, defending said the accused was hardworking and always employed.

He asked Det Ryan if he would accept the accused had “lost his head and snapped”, to which he replied “yes”. He also said that he showed remorse.

“As soon as we saw him he apologised immediately,” said Det Ryan.

Judge Katherine Delahunt remanded Ward on bail for sentencing next January.