31/03/2009

Knife Attacker Had 31 Previous Convictions

A 20-year-old Dublin man who went on a knife spree in the Temple Bar area had 31 convictions, a court heard on Monday.

Glen Hogan of Thomond Road, Ballyfermot pleaded guilty to four counts of assault causing harm on April 19, 2008 in Dublin city centre.

The court heard that Hogan was at a birthday party in a GAA club and afterwards went to the Q Bar on Burgh Quay.

He was searched in the club by a bouncer and a six-inch hunting knife was taken from him.

The bouncer returned the knife to Hogan as he left, drunk. Hogan went on to cut four people in the face, approaching them at random and often without saying a word.

Two French Nationals, an Algerian teenager and an Irish man were all left requiring stitches following the attacks in the Temple Bar area of Dublin.

The court heard on Monday how Gardai identified Hogan, who has 31 previous convictions, by viewing CCTV footage from the area. He was arrested five days later and admitted to gardai he had "cut up and sliced a few people".

Judge Martin Nolan described the assaults as "horrendous" and imposed sentences of three and two years to run consecutively with the other charges taken into account. He noted Hogan's early guilty plea and young age and suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions.

Defence counsel, Mr Michael Bowman, said Hogan had suffered with psychiatric issues from a young age and had been sporadically employed since leaving school early.

(DW/BMcC)

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