Courts / Dublin / Report

Three year jail sentence for man who pulled a knife on his ex-partner's family

Date
2015-03-18

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Patrick McGrath, aged 35, received a three‑year jail sentence for a series of violent offences. He pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to producing a knife during a dispute on 17 July 2012, to attempted hijacking of a car that same night, and to intimidation of a witness by threatening Sinead Murphy on 19 July 2012. McGrath also threatened the Murphy family, saying he would return with a gun and shoot them. The judge, Martin Nolan, back‑dated the sentence to April 2014, noting evidence of reconciliation between McGrath and the Murphy family. McGrath's defence argued he was a hard‑working man acting out of over‑protectiveness for his son, who has a serious congenital brain condition. The court imposed the three‑year term, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody beyond the sentence itself.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Three year jail sentence for man who pulled a knife on his ex-partner's family. Charges or matters: producing a knife during a dispute at Linenhall Street on July 17, 2012; attempted hijacking of a car and to producing a knife to obstruct a garda on the same night. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

July 17, 2012 Incident
July 19, 2012 Other
April 2014 Incident
2015-03-18 Publication

Why: Two days later he rang up the family from the first incident and threatened to attack them because they had contacted gardaí over his behaviour. CNI source report

Case subjects

Patrick McGrath

Defendant

Charges: producing a knife during a dispute at Linenhall Street on July 17, 2012; attempted hijacking of a car and to producing a knife to obstruct a garda on the same night (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: He said that the sentence would be higher but for this evidence of reconciliation.