Keith Malone’s sentence increased after appeal

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

The Court of Appeal increased Keith Malone’s sentence to four years’ imprisonment, with the final three months suspended on terms. The proceedings were reported on 29 November 2022.

Malone pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and production of an article.

He stabbed his partner four times in the back as she tried to escape during an argument at their home. She spent 19 days in hospital with injuries including a collapsed lung, a penetrating liver injury and a fractured rib.

The original sentence was three years’ imprisonment, with the final three months suspended. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed on the grounds that it was unduly lenient.

Delivering judgment, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly said the sentencing judge was correct to identify five years as the headline sentence, but too much emphasis had been placed on mitigation. The appeal was allowed. The court suspended the final three months after noting that Malone had engaged in rehabilitative courses in custody.