Four years for stabbing man in unprovoked attack

A 19-year-old Shannon man was yesterday jailed for four years for stabbing a Co Mayo man in the chest after the two bumped off each other on a footpath.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Con Murphy described the unprovoked attack by David O'Loughlin (19), of Finian Park, Shannon, on Anthony Connellan (22), of Bank Place, Ennis, on June 30th last as "a horrendous crime".

O'Loughlin apologised in court to Mr Connellan, and said: "There is nothing that I can say or do to make up for what I did, but I am really sorry and will be taking steps in prison to deal with my aggression to allow me become a better person when I get outside again."

Judge Murphy said: "Mr Connellan was a totally innocent party who was out walking with his girlfriend on a sunlit summer evening in the middle of Ennis only to be suddenly attacked and stabbed."

Det Garda Joe O'Brien told the court there was no logic to the attack which took place at 7.30pm.

The two bumped off each other on a narrow footpath, words were exchanged and O'Loughlin stabbed Mr Connellan.

"Mr O'Loughlin is a very volatile individual and comes from a dysfunctional family in Shannon," Det Garda O'Brien said.

In evidence, Mr Connellan said he spent one week in intensive care as a result of the attack and was unable to return to work for a further five weeks.

In trying to explain the attack, Det Garda O'Brien said: "Mr O'Loughlin said that he had been stabbed three times before and worried that he would be attacked again and was feeling paranoid when he attacked Mr Connellan."

The court was told that since the age of 11 O'Loughlin has spent his life in foster care in various institutions.

Brendan Nix SC, for O'Loughlin, said: "It's a bad case, but it could have been worse. Mr O'Loughlin has had a difficult life without any role model.

"He is an intelligent fellow and came second place in an essay competition amongst prisoners, North and South, writing about his life."