Courts / Dublin / Report
Woman with 17 previous assault convictions avoids jail for stabbing cleaner
Summary
Mary Bridget McCann, aged 19, was a resident at a Dublin 2 hostel when a fight erupted between her and another woman. A porter tried to intervene as McCann brandished a steak knife; she bit the porter's finger and held it for ten seconds. A cleaner later assisted the porter and was stabbed in the thigh by McCann. The cleaner suffered significant blood loss and a possible arterial rupture, while the porter sustained a 2 cm thigh cut. McCann, who has 23 prior convictions including nine for assault causing harm, pleaded guilty to two assault‑causing‑harm charges. Judge Melanie Greally, noting McCann's youth, vulnerability and engagement with services, imposed concurrent two‑year sentences, suspended for two years on strict conditions. No further Garda attention has been recorded since the offence. The cleaner forgave McCann and urged her to consider the impact of her actions. The porter, anxious about the incident, has not returned to hostel work.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Woman with 17 previous assault convictions avoids jail for stabbing cleaner. Charges or matters: two charges of assault causing harm on October 11, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 11, 2020 Incident
- 2022-03-28 Publication
Why: McCann stabbed him in the thigh and there were concerns an artery in his leg had been ruptured because of the extent of his blood loss. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: two charges of assault causing harm on October 11, 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: She imposed concurrent sentences totalling two years which she suspended for two years on strict conditions.
Places mentioned
- College Street
- North Circular Road
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
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