Courts / Dublin / Report

10-year sentence for man who stabbed homeless man and slit his face in unprovoked attack

Date
2017-10-06

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Michael Power, aged 21, was convicted of two counts of assault, one count of causing serious harm and two counts of possession of a knife after stabbing Thomas Hanrahan and later slicing his face. Hanrahan suffered life‑threatening injuries, including a removed spleen and permanent facial scar, and will require lifelong medication. Power, who has 33 prior convictions, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment with 18 months suspended, back‑dated to July 2015. The judge imposed the suspended portion to encourage rehabilitation and barred Power from contacting Hanrahan for five years after release. Power has completed various courses in custody, including the alternative to violence programme, and is now a facilitator. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 27 June 2015 and the sentence was delivered by Judge Elma Sheahan. The trial was conducted by a jury.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 10-year sentence for man who stabbed homeless man and slit his face in unprovoked attack. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

June 27, 2015 Incident
July 2015 Incident
2017-10-06 Publication

Why: Judge Sheahan imposed concurrent sentences totalling ten years and suspended the final 18 months in order to encourage his rehabilitation. CNI source report

Case subjects

Unnamed man

Convicted Person

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted; A man who stabbed a homeless man leaving him seriously injured and later returned to slice the man's face with a knife has been given a ten year sentence with 18 months suspended. Judge Sheahan imposed concurrent sentences totalling ten years and suspended the final 18 months in order to encourage his rehabilitation.