A Dublin barman has received a three-year suspended sentence for stabbing a man with a steak knife after finding him in bed with his ex-partner.
Michael Bonner (43) of Laurel Lodge, Castleknock, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Gary Dawnay on August 14th, 2013, at Hayworth Terrace, Ongar, Dublin.
The injured man was stabbed twice in the shoulder, causing his left lung to collapse by more than 50 per cent.
Judge Desmond Hogan said there was little premeditation involved and the attack was “something of the moment, carried out in a frenzied way”.
He said Bonner had committed a very serious offence and reacted “totally disproportionately” to finding his ex-partner in bed with another man.
He acknowledged that Bonner was “unlikely to re-offend”, suspended the sentence for three years and ordered that he undergo any alcohol treatment programme deemed necessary.
He further ordered that the €3,000 Bonner had raised as a token of remorse be handed over to the injured party.
Garda Alan Reddy told Gerardine Small BL, prosecuting, that Mr Dawnay had started seeing Bonner's ex-partner a few weeks earlier.
On the night, Mr Dawnay was drinking with friends at home when his girlfriend texted him to ask him to come down to her house.
He called to her house and they chatted and then went into the bedroom. Sometime after 3am, Bonner let himself in and barged into the bedroom with a knife taken from a kitchen drawer.
Mr Dawnay and the woman both jumped up out of bed and tried to block Bonner.
Bonner threatened to kill Mr Dawnay, saying “Stay away from my family, this is a warning.”
Mr Dawnay was stabbed twice in the shoulder and his thumb was sliced when he tried to grab the knife.
Gardaí were called and found Bonner being restrained by a group of people with a knife in his back pocket.
Mr Dawnay was brought to hospital where his shoulder wounds were stitched and his chest was x-rayed as he was having difficulty breathing.
His lung had partially collapsed and a large chest drain was inserted. A victim impact statement was presented to the court but not read out.
On arrest, Bonner immediately admitted the stabbing and apologised. He said he had drunk eight or nine pints on the night.
Patrick Reynolds BL, defending, said Bonner “lost it” when he went to the house, at a time when his family life was disintegrating around him.
The court heard that Bonner has worked as a barman in The Vineyard in Blanchardstown for the last 12 years.
A number of testimonials were handed into court describing Bonner as a man of integrity who has worked on his drink difficulties and has raised money for charity.