Christopher Cooney sentenced for assault with Stanley knife

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Christopher Cooney (19) received four years’ detention from Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with all but the first 16 months suspended on condition that he keeps the peace for four years.

He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Peter English. The assault with a Stanley knife happened at St James’s Luas stop on 22 February 2013. The proceedings were reported on 27 January 2015.

The court heard that Peter English needed 13 stitches and was left with a 9cm scar across his face.

Counsel for Cooney described the attack as a “horrific but spontaneous act” and said he had no previous convictions and had not reoffended since. Caroline Biggs SC, defending Cooney, said he had written a letter of apology to the victim and brought €1,000 to court as a gesture of remorse.

A psychologist’s report said Cooney had been suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome since witnessing his mother being badly assaulted outside the family home two years previously. The report said the incident had also caused a depressive disorder and suicide ideation.