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A YOUNG FATHER-OF-SEVEN who slashed a Luas passenger in the face with a flick knife has been sentenced to five years in prison with the final 18 months suspended.
Alan Tuite (28) of Ennel Park, Artane, Dublin , pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and production of a knife at Rialto Luas stop, James’ Walk on 3 July 2017.
Passing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today, Judge Melanie Greally said it was ironic that Tuite’s actions were a “warped manifestation” of his devotion to his family.
The court heard that the victim had just boarded the Luas when Tuite slashed his face in what his counsel described as a “moment of madness” over a previous alleged altercation between their respective children.
Judge Greally said the victim suffered a facial injury requiring six stitches and had to leave his job because of the attack.
She condemned what she described as a premeditated, serious offence which has left the victim with lasting physical scarring and psychological effects.
The court heard that the attack took place in front of the victim’s wife and two children, one of whom, a two-year-old girl, had been asleep and woke up to see blood and her mother screaming.
A victim impact report submitted by the injured party said he spent between €8,000 and €10,000 on medical costs after the attack. He said he continues to suffer anxiety and is fearful whenever he takes the Luas.
Previous evidence
At an earlier court hearing, the prosecuting garda told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting, that the victim had boarded the Luas at Rialto on the day with his family.
The garda said the victim couldn’t get a seat and was on his phone when he suddenly heard the tram door closing and felt a scratch on his face. The victim had his back to his attacker and was not able to identify him.
CCTV footage played in court showed the victim and his family waiting to board the tram, while Tuite and a co-accused watched them from inside the carriage.
Tuite and the co-accused were then seen disembarking the tram. The co-accused handed something to Tuite, who reached in and slashed the victim’s face before fleeing the scene.
Tuite was arrested and identified himself on CCTV running down by the canal after the assault.
He told gardaí that he and the victim lived in the same sheltered accommodation and that there had been an altercation between their children.
“My hand was shaking. I flicked open the knife and sliced him; it happened so fast,” Tuite told gardaí.
I feel like a scumbag, but at the time I did not have control over what I was going to do.
Tuite accepted that he had caused harm and said he regretted it happening in front of the victim’s family.
“You won’t ever hear a story like that about me again,” he said.
Judge Greally set a headline sentence of five years but suspended the final 18 months due to mitigating factors including the fact that Tuite was a devoted family man with a large number of dependents.
She ordered him to comply with Probation Services for 12 months on his release and attend all appointments relating to the areas of victim empathy, training and employment.
The sentence was backdated to 21 September, when Tuite went into custody.
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Just not good enough, people who do things like slash people need to be locked up much longer
Family men ? Did he forget he is family men when he was doing it …..
Social scrounger no doubt that is promoted in good ole Ireland ! Come one come all for the free handout and free living
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Bit of a narrow minded view Donnacha. You seem to be apportioning a crime to all immigrants and unemployed. I’m not sure you understand the system very well but maybe you don’t want to. Asylum seekers spend years in desperate conditions in direct provision living off around €20 a week. Other emigrants generally aren’t entitled to social welfare without having a good track record of working and paying PRSI etc. It’s referred to as being Habitually Resident Compliant. But most when given the opportunity want to work and better themselves
@Ronan Doherty: 378 tbumbs up would disagree Ronan. Ordinary decent people in this cointry need protecting. This guy is sn absolute $cum bag and that is what is raising 7 children. Give me a break
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: I didn’t refer to the person and crime. I agree that the crime was horrible. What I didn’t agree with was your apportioning this crime to a whole group rather than an individual. I note your response avoided addressing any of the points I raised. I take comfort in the fact that you didn’t try and pursue generalizing but rather changed approach and talked about the individual without mentioning background and I share your concern for these 7 children
28 years old and has 7 children. My mind is already made up.
@Lovely weather: he needs to get Netflix
@Quentin Moriarty: or condoms
This is not appropriate sentencing. This is not an appropriate consequence to that action. This is not a deterrent to knife crime, violent crime or any crime. This is not justice. This is a government who can not and will not protect its own citizens.
Carrying a knife = 10 years
Using the knife on someone = 20 years.
No remission or bail.
The cowardly ******* will think twice about carrying.
7 kids at 28?!?! I’m sure he must have had a fantastic career in pharmaceuticals to support them before this momentary lapse of judgement. Perhaps he’s Maggie Cash’s husband?
At least he wasn’t awarded €550k by some out of touch judge.
Ye some family man he is ,he never thought of his kids when he was carrying out the attack plus to do that in front of the victim’s kids is shocking .
Surprised he even got a jail sentence
deserves the chair
When I hear released early on good behavior I can’t understand as in my opinion time should be added on for bad behavior
This and other similar incidents and outcomes just show that the most profitable way of living in Ireland is that of a non-working, criminal behaviour (from stealing to attacking, beating, stabing and slashing), tax evading, welfare collector, idle single parent of multiple children. I don’t know why people bother working to pay taxes, mortgages etc. There’s a whole life to be lived on suspended sentences.
@Goran Josifov: The most profitable way is being part of the very wealthy who avoid paying a fair tax. This is a knife crime with no profit so it doesn’t back up your argument. Disproportionate incarceration, addiction, homelessness rates relate to unemployment and poverty. Hardly the utopia you’re trying to portray. Research has shown that single parents are among the most disadvantaged in our society. And by the way if you’ve tried spending even a day or two with young kids on your own and no support you’d get some indication of how difficult being a single parent must be. I can’t imagine raising my kids without my partner and envy parents that have extended family support near by
Dependants suggest he is providing for them
@Seán O’Sullivan:
Get a grip……..lived in sheltered accommodation ‘ do you think he is actually getting up at 6am doing a 12 hour day and paying his fair share in Tax’s
He like all of these scrounges know to have lots of kids’ get a free house and dole and children’s allowance and all the trappings of the good old dole
@Mark Walsh: the victim levied in Shelter accommodation and had a job
@Mark Walsh: he’ll be up at 6am taking 12″ inside his prison cell
@Mark Walsh: Lots of kids and the dole. Sounds like 80s Ireland. If you’ve been unemployed you’ll understand it’s not a nice place to exist and welfare doesn’t provide for a high standard of living. There are no free houses. Have you seen the news, thousands of homeless children, no social housing been built.
These suspended sentences are a joke and released on good behavior is also a joke, Time should be added for bad behavior
Anybody take the luas line on a Saturday night towards 3arena? Looking for a safe spot to stand in two carriages and no go… nope….pure confrontation, pick pocket or needle danger.
Should have been 10-15 years that’s attempted murder !
How come you hear of the government building a stadium, a metro line, pedestrian areas, office blocks or cycleways and there are always debates and media coverage for both sides. Never have I heard of plans for a prison. Surely if you put away 10% of the criminals in the city, there are less the next week, and so on. We need to feel safe in our own city and make if safe for the tourists who spend a fortune when they are here.
@Andrew Behan: Investing in proper rehabilitation programs and tackling the affects of poverty would get better results. Treating personal drug use as a health issue rather than unnecessarily criminalizing addicts would free up a lot of resources and prison spaces to tackle violent crime etc
@Ronan Doherty: There are plenty who commit violent crimes and they are given suspended sentences. Put these people away for a decent amount of time, and thus free up resources for rehabilitation. 5 years for carrying a blade and slashing someone’s face is pathetic. It’s attempted murder.
A whole 5 years!!!
So basically the more kids you have the more lenient your sentence. Whattttttttttt
@Claire Deasy: Exactly, what has that got to do with anything? Wouldn’t they all be safer? We all use public transport.
These suspended sentences are a joke and released on good behavior is not acceptable Time should be added for bad behavior
This country needs a Punisher to tackle this non sense crime
He did not get a long enough sentence, 10 years at least would have been appropriate
Fooking knackre… ER.
@Hope Down:..
28 with 7 children. Clearly a family man with a large number of dependants. they can depend on him alright. Well they are depending on the tax payers now all of them . Great country
18 months suspended what a joke.
Should be 10 straight years.
Another example of the inconsistent sentencing of criminal acts. Judges dance all over the place sentencing murder, rape, brutal attacks regardless of sentencing guidelines. I agree with this sentence.
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