Courts / Clare / Report

Violent addict who stabbed doctor has sentence more than doubled

Date
2022-05-25

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Ennis

County
Clare

Summary

Stephen Ennis, 32, of Crumlin, was sentenced to a four‑year prison term for stabbing a foreign‑national doctor at St James' Hospital on 7 March 2020. The original one‑year sentence was quashed and the Court of Appeal, applying a 40 per cent premium for attacks on medical staff, increased the term to four years. The judge reduced the term by one year to account for Ennis' attempts to address his drug addiction after a recent return to custody, and suspended the final six months of the three‑year custodial period. Ennis, who has 72 prior convictions and a history of drug use, was warned that the outcome would depend on probation reports. He had been detained on drugs and shoplifting charges and had suffered a relapse during the intervening period. The doctor, who had moved to Ireland to become an emergency medicine consultant, was left "shattered" by the assault. Stephen Ennis pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Violent addict who stabbed doctor has sentence more than doubled. Charges or matters: assaulting a person providing medical care in St James' Hospital, James Street, Dublin 8, on March 7, 2020. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

October 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
March 7, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
2022-05-25 Publication

Why: But his client, counsel continued, had not applied for High Court bail because he preferred to remain in custody as he once again tried to combat his drug addiction. CNI source report

Case subjects

Stephen Ennis

Appellant

Charges: assaulting a person providing medical care in St James' Hospital, James Street, Dublin 8, on March 7, 2020 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Stephen Ennis (32), of Cashel Road, Crumlin, Dublin, was jailed in October 2020 after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a person providing medical care in St James' Hospital, James Street, Dublin 8, on March 7, 2020. Ennis' original sentence had been quashed at an appeal hearing in February.