Child raises the alarm on Christmas Eve after seeing man stabbed in the back in Limerick home

A LIMERICK man broke into a house in the early hours of Christmas Eve and stabbed a man twice in the back in front of an 11-year-old boy who then raised the alarm, a court had heard.

Judge Colin Daly said the fact that children were present, witnessed the attack and were involved in this incident is “especially egregious”. The man who was stabbed required urgent treatment and the intervention of the surgical team at University Hospital Limerick.

The court heard that prior to the assault there had been conflict between two women - partners of the accused and victim -  who were neighbours in Galbally.

Stephen Power, aged 34, of The Path, Garryowen, Limerick city pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm at an address in Galbally on December 24, 2024.

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Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley, instructed by State solicitor Brendan Gill, outlined the evidence with the assistance of Garda Denis O’Connor at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court last month. Judge Daly adjourned sentencing to last Monday where he gave a summary of the evidence.

He said the accused man Mr Power and the victim were in relationships with two women who were neighbours in Galbally. The judge said the partner of the victim had been staying “away from her house as she had been having trouble with her neighbours”.

“The victim, his partner and two children returned to the house on December 23. Shortly after midnight the female neighbour tried to gain entry into the house and when she was refused, two women and Mr Power started to kick in the door.

“They forced entry and Mr Power attacked the victim by stabbing him in the back on the stairs as he tried to prevent their entry,” said Judge Daly.

Two children were at home when the incident happened.

“A boy, who was 11-years-old at the time, was not only present but witnessed the incident, managed to escape and raise the alarm in a nearby shop. The memo of the specialist interview with the child makes for grim reading,” said Judge Daly.

Gardai and paramedics arrived at the scene. A knife was recovered and Mr Power arrested. The victim was taken to UHL where he required urgent treatment and the intervention of the surgical team for two stab wounds in his back.

Both the victim and his partner declined to make victim impact statements.

Judge Daly, in determining his sentence, said Mr Power forced entry into his then girlfriend's neighbour’s house late at night, was armed with a knife and seriously assaulted one of the occupants of the house.

The judge said aggravating factors are the proximity of Christmas, and he said the fact that “children were present, witnessed and were involved in this incident is especially egregious".

Judge Daly noted Mr Power’s 24 relevant previous convictions which include arson, trespass, possession of articles, burglary and trespass.

The judge, in mitigation, took into account Mr Power’s plea of guilty, that he has owned up to his wrongdoing and that he was suffering from addiction which Mark Nicholas SC, defending barrister, “offered as an explanation rather than an excuse”.

Judge Daly imposed a six year and nine months jail sentence with the final nine months suspended.