Woman hospitalised after knife attack in her home

A WOMAN was in a critical but stable condition in hospital last night following an attack at her north Dublin home.

The woman, a 44-year-old member of the ESB’s legal department, named locally as Violet Quigley, received a number of stab wounds during the incident in Donaghmede Park at about 11.30pm on Thursday.

Gardaí are attempting to establish if the violent attack is in any way connected to a break-in at the property earlier in the week. It is understood locks on the house were forced and some jewellery was taken by intruders while it was unoccupied on Wednesday. The victim lives alone in the house.

The attack is being investigated by gardaí from Coolock Garda station.

Supt Mark Curran said the incident was unusual. “We’re in the early stages so we don’t know [exactly] what happened but this lady received serious injuries in her house and that doesn’t happen everyday,” Supt Curran said.

Neighbours said they heard a series of distressed screams coming from an upstairs window of the victim’s home at about 11.30pm.

A number of them went to tend to her while they awaited the emergency services and said that when they went to enter the house, the front door was ajar.

They said the woman had sustained multiple stab wounds all over her body but had managed to make her way from a bedroom at the back of the house to another room at the front to seek assistance. Gardaí said she had lost a significant amount of blood.

She was taken to Beaumont Hospital in a critical condition where she underwent surgery. Her condition was last night described as critical but stable.

An investigation into the incident was launched immediately and the property was cordoned off.

Members of the Garda Technical Bureau examined the property yesterday.

Supt Curran said given the extent of the woman’s injuries, he believed her attacker or attackers most likely had considerable blood stains on their clothing, which may have been discarded following the attack.

Gardaí yesterday searched the area for clothing and the weapon used in the attack, which is believed to have been a knife.

Supt Curran said there was no strong evidence that someone had forced their way into the house on Thursday night, but said the possibility could not be ruled out.

He said residents of the area had co-operated well with the investigation, but said someone must know what exactly happened and why the attack occurred.

Supt Curran said the investigation team was attempting to establish if the burglary could be linked to the attack. The woman had not yet been interviewed.

One neighbour said she saw two young men in and around the victim’s home while she was at work on Wednesday.

She said the victim was a pleasant but private professional woman who had lived in the area for about five years.

Anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the Donaghmede Park area during the day on Wednesday or Thursday night is asked to contact Coolock Garda station on 01-6664200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111 or any Garda station.