AN HIV positive man who stabbed a civilian and a garda with a syringe on May 12th last year has been jailed for 12 years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Jason Healy (27), of Rutland Grove, Crumlin, and Basin Street Flats, Kilmainham, pleaded guilty to two charges of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent.
Sgt Bernard Ferry said that when asked the next day if it would bother him if he infected a victim with the HIV virus, Healy replied: "It would not bother me if they were threatening me. I would give it to them as quick as I got it. I'll be lucky to see the year out."
Judge Cyril Kelly said the court had to take into consideration the often lifelong post traumatic stress disorder caused to the victims of "crazed syringe waving maniacs". Neither victim had become ill but the man suffered severe psychological effects and had psychiatric treatment.
Sgt Ferry said the man found Healy kicking the door of a flat in which a young single mother was screaming. He overpowered Healy and offered to release him if he left. Healy stabbed the man three times in the leg and ran off. The victim thought the syringe contained blood. Later, Healy threatened gardai that he would bite his lip and infect them all. He produced a syringe and waved it about, but Sgt Ferry said he saw there was no needle and Healy handed it over when asked.
Healy became very violent. He reached into his pocket and Sgt Ferry noticed he had bitten his lip and drawn blood and was spitting at the gardai.
Garda Smith discovered three stab wounds in the hand from a syringe needle Healy had taken from his pocket. Healy was finally subdued and placed in a cell.
Judge Kelly noted the Garda computer printout did not have a record of Healy's three year suspended sentence in 1995 for a syringe attempt to intimidate. His 14 other convictions were mainly for larceny and road offences.
The defendant's father, Mr John Healy, blamed his own heavy drinking for much of his son's trouble. He had noticed a major improvement in him in custody since last June.
Mr Patrick Marrinan, defending, said Healy was abusing heroin and cocaine as well as taking a prescribed drug at the time of the offences. He offered sincerest apologies to all.
Judge Kelly noted Healy started smoking cannabis at 12 and was hospitalised due to a combination of wine and glue. He moved to heroin at 14.