Man jailed after stabbing English tourist in Temple Bar

Man fully accepts the wrong committed and is ashamed, embarrassed, and deeply sorry as court told he was intoxicated at the time

Jordan Carroll told gardaí he had been defending himself, that he was hit and hit back, and did not stab anyone. CCTV of the incident was played to the court. File picture: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews.ie

A man who stabbed an English tourist during a violent incident in Dublin’s Temple Bar has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

Jordan Carroll, aged 26, was one of three people involved in an attack on a tourist who had travelled to Dublin to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The other two attackers were not apprehended.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the victim was outside a Centra store when a verbal dispute developed with Carroll’s group, and they then punched the victim before Carroll stabbed him.

Carroll, of Lealand Meadows, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to possession of a steak knife, assault causing harm, and violent disorder at Temple Bar Square on September 20, 2025. He has 123 previous convictions, including offences for assault and possession of knives.

Garda Anthony Cunningham told John Moher, prosecuting, that the tourists were approached by three males, who engaged in a verbal altercation. The three males started to punch the victim, and Carroll retrieved a knife before making lunging motions towards the victim.

The victim's phone fell while he was trying to defend himself, and one of the other men took it.

Gardaí observed the altercation, and Carroll was caught nearby, while his accomplices fled.

A bloodstained knife was recovered, and the victim was taken for medical treatment.

Carroll told gardaí he had been defending himself, that he was hit and hit back, and did not stab anyone. CCTV of the incident was played to the court.

A victim impact statement outlined that the injured party suffered a stab wound requiring stitches, along with ongoing physical and psychological effects. He reported financial losses for damaged clothing and his phone, as well as increased anxiety, reduced fitness, and a negative impact on his social life and family.

Defence and mitigation

Defence counsel told the court Carroll had a highly traumatic upbringing marked by violence and exposure to criminal behaviour from a young age.

Counsel said Carroll fully accepts the wrong committed and is ashamed, embarrassed, and deeply sorry for his reprehensible decision to act in this way. He was intoxicated at the time, the court heard.

In mitigation, it was submitted that Carroll had entered an early guilty plea, co-operated with gardaí, and expressed remorse for his actions. The court also heard he had made efforts at rehabilitation and intended to live with his sister upon release.

Judge Martin Nolan said it was a serious offence and highlighted the dangers associated with the use of knives in assaults, noting that there can be circumstances where people die.

He said thankfully that did not occur in this case, but when a knife is used in this way, “bad results sometimes occur". The judge set a headline sentence of six years’ imprisonment but reduced it to three years and nine months by reason of mitigation.