George Donovan gets suspended sentence for assault causing harm

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

George Donovan received a fully suspended two-and-a-half-year sentence for assault causing harm at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, reported on 1 July 2018. The offence occurred at a homeless hostel in Dublin 2 on 27 October 2015.

Donovan had pleaded guilty after stabbing fellow resident Alan Rattigan in the face with a butter knife following an argument about television noise. Judge Melanie Greally credited his guilty plea and difficult background circumstances; a probation report said he was making progress and had not reoffended. The court was told Rattigan suffered five mostly superficial facial wounds and scarring.