Courts / Dublin / Report

Mayo man was on crystal meth when he stabbed Dublin GAA star Jonny Cooper, court hears

Date
2015-11-04
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

A 32-year-old man originally from Swinford, County Mayo pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Dublin GAA footballer Jonny Cooper in the early hours of September 20, 2014. Mark Lavelle, with an address at Basin Street, Dublin, inflicted nine stab wounds to the player's forehead, eyelid and neck area during an unprovoked attack on Dorset Street Upper. The court heard Lavelle was under the influence of crystal methamphetamine at the time and had also assaulted a taxi driver and hijacked his vehicle hours earlier in Palmerstown. Mr Cooper spent one night in hospital and subsequently suffered anxiety and facial scarring. Lavelle was arrested at a petrol station in Maynooth when gardaí spotted the stolen taxi. Blood analysis linked Mr Cooper's DNA to a knife and jacket recovered from Lavelle. The defendant has sixty-two prior convictions including assaults, drug possession and robbery. Judge Martin Nolan remanded Lavelle in custody pending sentencing.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mayo man was on crystal meth when he stabbed Dublin GAA star Jonny Cooper, court hears. Charges or matters: assault causing harm to the Dublin and Na Fianna footballer in the early hours of September 20, 2014 at Dorset Street Upper in Dublin. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: Lavelle's hands were covered in blood and he told gardai this was because he had haemorrhoids. CNI source report

Case subjects

Mark Lavelle

Defendant

Charges: assault causing harm to the Dublin and Na Fianna footballer in the early hours of September 20, 2014 at Dorset Street Upper in Dublin (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Martin Nolan remanded Lavelle in continuing custody for sentence tomorrow.; Judge Martin Nolan remanded Lavelle in continuing custody for sentence tomorrow.

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention
Residence
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Incident
Facility
  • Central Mental Hospital

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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