Courts / Dublin / Report

'Feral youths' who almost killed teen in vicious stabbing jailed for combined 13.5 years

Summary

Sean Johnston, 22, and an unnamed 20‑year‑old were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to a combined 13½ years for a pre‑meditated stabbing that left a 16‑year‑old victim with 14 wounds. Johnston pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm and to six threats to kill another teenager; his co‑accused pleaded guilty to causing serious harm and to a threat to kill or seriously injure a teenager. Both were initially charged with attempted murder but the State dropped those charges. The judge, Mr Justice Hunt, imposed a headline sentence of 16 years for Johnston and 13 years for the second youth, then reduced each by a quarter for guilty pleas. Johnston's 12‑year term had four years suspended for eight years; the second youth's 8‑year term had two‑and‑a‑half years suspended for five‑and‑a‑half years. The sentences were back‑dated to 30 September 2021 and 28 January 2022 respectively.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Feral youths' who almost killed teen in vicious stabbing jailed for combined 13.5 years. Charges or matters: assault causing serious harm; threats to kill. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• January 2, 2021 Incident
• April 14, 2021 Other
• September 30, 2021 Other
• January 28, 2022 Other
• April 2021 Incident
• New Year's Eve Other
• 2023-11-06 Publication

Why: He said he found the case disturbing because it was perpetrated by "people so young". CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report