Courts / Dublin / Report

Six years for "danger to society" who stabbed victim seven times over cigarette lighter

Date
2015-05-07

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Patrick Browne, aged 26, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of violent offences. He stabbed Constantine Consier seven times over a cigarette lighter, leaving Consier with a punctured lung, and also robbed a newsagent twice on Christmas Eve 2013, once dressed as a ghost and once as a skeleton. Browne pleaded guilty to assault and robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan described him as a danger to society, ordered psychiatric assessment and services, and suspended the final two years of the sentence, replacing them with two years of probation supervision upon release. The judge noted Browne's early guilty plea, admissions to Gardaí, personal problems, and serious mental health issues, including epilepsy. The sentence aims to protect the public while providing access to mental health care in prison.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Six years for "danger to society" who stabbed victim seven times over cigarette lighter. Charges or matters: assaulting Constantine Consier at Hickey's Pharmacy, Phibsboro Shopping Centre, causing him harm on March 15, 2013; robbing a total of €1,050 in cash from Daybreak on the New Cabra Road on two occasions on December 24, 2013. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

March 15, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
December 24, 2013 Other
Christmas Eve 2013 Other
2015-05-07 Publication

Case subjects

Patrick Browne

Defendant

Charges: assaulting Constantine Consier at Hickey's Pharmacy, Phibsboro Shopping Centre, causing him harm on March 15, 2013; robbing a total of €1,050 in cash from Daybreak on the New Cabra Road on two occasions on December 24, 2013 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: The judge said Browne clearly suffers from psychological problems but that he "could be termed a danger to society" and that a prison sentence must be imposed to protect people. "Everyone knows the services in prison could be somewhat better," the judge said. Noting Browne's early guilty plea, admissions to gardaí and personal problems, Judge Nolan suspended the final two years of the term and ordered that he undergo two years probation supervision on his release.