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Seven year sentence for man who carried out frenzied attack on Dublin GAA star
Summary
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Mark Lavelle, aged 32, originally from Swinford in Mayo, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, with the final two years suspended, following his guilty plea to two counts of assault causing harm and hijacking. On the early morning of September 20th, 2014, Lavelle attacked a taxi driver in Palmerstown and subsequently assaulted Dublin GAA footballer Jonny Cooper on Dorset Street Upper, inflicting nine stab wounds. The court heard Lavelle was under the influence of crystal methamphetamine during the frenzied attacks. Mr Cooper was hospitalised overnight but recovered, though he experienced psychological effects. Judge Martin Nolan imposed consecutive sentences of three and a half years each, describing Lavelle as a danger to society. The judge noted Lavelle's sixty-two previous convictions and long-standing psychiatric difficulties requiring anti-psychotic medication. Defence counsel highlighted Lavelle's background of homelessness, substance abuse from childhood, and family history of violence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Seven year sentence for man who carried out frenzied attack on Dublin GAA star. Charges or matters: assault causing harm to the Dublin and Na Fianna footballer at around 5am on September 20, 2014 at Dorset Street Upper in Dublin. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- September 20, 2014 Incident
- 2015-11-06 Publication
Why: Lavelle's hands were covered in blood and he told gardai this was because he had haemorrhoids. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: assault causing harm to the Dublin and Na Fianna footballer at around 5am on September 20, 2014 at Dorset Street Upper in Dublin (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He imposed two sentences of three and a half years which he ordered to run consecutively. He suspended the final two years of the total sentence on strict conditions.
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