Jonathan Reid jailed for serious harm at Central Criminal Court

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

Jonathan Reid was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court on 30 May 2022 to six years and six months in prison for causing serious harm, with the final two years suspended for three years. Mr Justice Paul McDermott backdated the sentence to when Reid went into custody in 2020.

The attack happened at the family home in Newhall, Naas, Co Kildare, on 6 March 2020. Reid pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Greg Shiels and to possessing cocaine and cannabis. The Director of Public Prosecutions agreed to drop the attempted murder charge.

The court heard that Reid had a history of mental health problems and was in a drug-induced psychosis when he attacked Mr Shiels. The judge said Reid’s mental state at the time of the offence, and how it was brought about by drug consumption, was the dominating feature of the case.

The judge set a nine-year headline sentence before allowing for Reid’s guilty plea, sincere remorse and insight into his drug use. Reid was ordered to attend all his probation appointments and engage with local community-based drug addiction services.