Karl Boyne jailed for four and a half years

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

Karl Boyne, 31, was jailed for four and a half years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a stabbing, knife possession and burglary. The proceedings were reported on 25 November 2014.

Boyne pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, possessing a knife and burglary. The assault occurred at Cambridge Park, Ringsend, on 5 March 2013. The knife-possession offence took place on Thorncastle Street, Ringsend, on 8 June 2013. The burglary involved a petrol station on Beech Road, Dublin, on 5 February 2014.

The report said architect Jerzy Stacharski was in his car after tennis when a large butcher’s knife came through the window towards his neck. He caught the blade, released it and grabbed the attacker’s sleeve before being stabbed in the shoulder. He spent 12 hours in accident and emergency at St Vincent’s Hospital, with shoulder surgery the following day.

Boyne admitted the stabbing. He said a football had entered the tennis court and he had kicked it at the net. He said Stacharski then said something and threw a tennis racket at him. Boyne said he fetched a knife hidden in nearby bushes to threaten Stacharski. He also said he had consumed drugs and alcohol.

Judge James O’Donohue said the attack had caused serious, lasting harm to Stacharski. The judge said fear resulting from the assault had forced him to stop working as an architect. He remained afraid of open areas, had become isolated and needed social care.

The report said Boyne had 41 previous convictions, including robbery, for which he had received a five-year prison sentence. Judge O’Donohue encouraged him to undertake drug rehabilitation in custody.