A MAN who stabbed another man in the neck with a Ninja-style knife leaving the victim severely brain damaged and in a wheelchair nine years ago is to be sentenced at the end of March.
Robert Slator stabbed Daniel O’Hare, giving him a three centimetre gash on the right side of his neck, lacerating his jugular vein which caused cardiac arrest and deprivation of blood to Mr O’Hare’s brain.
The court heard after the stabbing Slator boasted to onlookers: “Ha, youse didn’t think I would do it. I only bought this one [knife] last night, it’s nice isn’t it,” and wiped the blood off the knife onto the grass.
The court heard Slator went on the run for eight years. He was brought back before the courts last August under a European arrest warrant.
Mr O’Hare’s mother Liz said in a victim impact report on behalf of her son that she was now “his voice, his carer, his nurse, his reader, his arms and his legs”.
“Daniel is so severely brain damaged that he cannot speak, swallow or walk. He is fully aware of his surroundings but as he cannot speak, he blinks to indicate yes or no,” Mrs O’Hare said.
“He cannot swallow and is fed through a tube. Thirty years ago I gave birth to my beautiful son and Robert Slator took his beautiful life in 2003 as Daniel died for 30 minutes.”
“He was a big brother but now he has become a baby. His life is hanging on a thread and we take each day at a time. I have lost the big hugs Daniel used to give me when I would have a bad day. We hope and pray that justice will be done.”
Slator (30), of Barry Avenue in Finglas pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to recklessly causing serious harm to Mr O’Hare in Finglas on July 18th, 2003.
Det Garda Tony Gleeson told prosecuting counsel Pieter Le Vert, the stabbing resulted after an incident between the men.
Mr O’Hare (30) spotted Slator in the town and said “come here I want to talk to you”. Slator walked away and returned a short time later with two knives, which witnesses described as Ninja or martial arts style knives.
Mr O’Hare walked towards Slator and they both squared up to each other. “Slator swiped three times at the victim and missed. The fourth swipe with the knife hit Mr O’Hare in the neck,” said Det Gleeson.
Senior counsel Isobel Kennedy, defending, said Slator had offered his “heartfelt apologies”.
Judge Desmond Hogan said the case was very serious. He adjourned sentencing until the end of March.