Killer who chased group of youths in Cork with knife arrives for sentencing in wheelchair

Anthony Leahy was found guilty in 2013 of the manslaughter of Jonathan Daly. The manslaughter also involved a knife.

Judge Boyle has imposed a four-year sentence on Anthony Leahy, suspended on the condition that he keeps the peace for the next four years and engages with his psychiatrist and GP. File picture: Larry Cummins

A convicted killer who armed himself with a knife by forcing his way into the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant in Skibbereen and later ran after a group of young people in the town came to court for sentencing in a wheelchair.

Judge Helen Boyle was told that since the last adjournment of sentencing, Anthony Leahy had fallen out of a third-floor window of a building and had caused very serious injuries to his legs. Sentencing was adjourned a number of times in relation to the knife incident in Skibbereen more than three years ago.

Now Judge Boyle has imposed a four-year sentence on Anthony Leahy, suspended on the condition that he keeps the peace for the next four years and engages with his psychiatrist and GP.

The accused man, 33-year-old Anthony Leahy, appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where Detective Garda Hugh Byrne said Leahy was previously convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in 2013 – a sentence which was backdated to allow for time he had already served.

In the present case, he pleaded guilty to several charges arising out of a chain of events in Skibbereen on the night of April 22, 2019.

Leahy, who lives at an apartment at Acorn House, Drimoleague, County Cork, admitted causing damage to a counter latch at the China Kitchen restaurant, being in possession of a knife in the car park of that premises, engaging in threatening behaviour at Bridge Street and trespassing by jumping over a counter at Mizzoni’s Pizzeria on Bridge Street.

Detective Garda Byrne told Judge Helen Boyle that Anthony Leahy was socialising at the pizzeria with another male with whom he got into a disagreement.

“He took off his jacket and top and threw it on the floor. There was an altercation outside at 3.29am.

Anthony Leahy returned with blood on his face and vaulted the counter looking for a knife to kill the guy outside. Employees ushered him outside the counter.

“CCTV shows he walks down Bridge Street, he takes off running for no apparent reason. At 3.45 he walks into The China Kitchen, pushes his way into the private kitchen area, pushing his way past and picked up a kitchen knife and left.

“He walks across Field’s car park and is seen chasing a group of youths. He had a knife in his right hand.” Arrested later that morning, he made admissions to the various offences.

Living in Passage West at the time of the manslaughter case, he was cleared by a jury of murdering Jonathan Daly and was instead found guilty of his manslaughter on January 19, 2012. The jury heard in that case that Leahy said he was responding to an attack and threats on his girlfriend and her family.

The manslaughter also involved a knife. Defence barrister Donal O’Sullivan said the accused was diagnosed with schizophrenia. 

Mr O’Sullivan said the defendant gets a monthly injection from a nurse who visits his house and that this medication was proving very effective. “He is well controlled, in that sense,” Mr O’Sullivan said. The accused recently sustained severe injuries to both legs and the prognosis is very poor, the barrister said.