Man is jailed for stabbing brother in chest during row
The defendant pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
A man could have killed his brother when he stabbed him in the chest following a drink and drug-fuelled row.
Brian Ward, aged 28, of Church View, Ballinrobe, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm.
The court heard that Gardaí discovered the brother of the accused, Cathal Ward, slumped in a doorway on Ellison Street, Castlebar, on December 9, 2021. He had sustained a stab wound and was receiving first aid from his girlfriend.
Earlier that night, Brian Ward had been consuming alcohol with his brother and his girlfriend in her Ellison Street apartment.
When Cathal went to his bedroom, he was followed by Brian who stabbed his older brother in the chest. The defendant then took some beers from the apartment and left.
Brian Ward was arrested later that night but Gardaí were unable to locate the knife used in the attack.
Cathal Ward sustained a 3cm stab wound to his lower chest. He lost consciousness and sustained serious blood loss. He had to be resuscitated in hospital and underwent emergency surgery.
Det Gda Ciaran Naughton told the court that the injured party could have lost his life had he not reached the emergency department at Mayo University Hospital in time.
The defendant has several previous convictions, but none were of a violent nature.
Defending barrister Diarmuid Connolly said the Ward family have come to terms with what happened and put the matter behind them. The defendant was under the influence of drink and drugs on the night and Gardaí had to wait six hours to interview him due to his level of intoxication.
Mr Connolly said there were no specifics about what the nature of the row between the brothers but his client is deeply remorseful for his actions.
Judge Eoin Garavan was critical of the decision taken by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) not to charge Ward with the offence of assault causing serious harm, which carries a more severe penalty.
“The man almost died,” the judge remarked.
Noting that this was an “appallingly violent matter”, Judge Garavan jailed Ward for four years.
“Society will be glad he is off the streets,” the judge added.
