Pizza chef jailed for slicing housemate's hands

A pizza chef has been jailed for 20 months for attacking his housemate with knives during an assault at their home.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that gardai were called to an incident on February 18, 2018, where they found a man with severe injuries to his hands.

Meraj Ahmed (27) of Earlsfort Road, Lucan, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at a property in the Lucan area, on February 18, 2018. He has no previous convictions. 

Passing sentence on Thursday, February 16, Judge Martin Nolan said, “the defendant attacked the injured party with punches, but the main attack was when he attempted to stab the injured party in the stomach area”.

Judge Nolan said, “the injured party defended himself and sustained serious injuries to both hand. The defendant acted out of bad temper, and I am aware there was a history between both men”.

He said the defendant had excellent mitigation in the form of his guilty plea, his lack of any previous convictions, his work history and his full cooperation.

Judge Nolan said, “I have been asked not to imprison this man, but the crime is serious, which involved attacking someone with knives, and a custodial sentence cannot be avoided”. 

Garda David McGuire told Simon Matthews, BL, prosecuting, on the day in question, gardaí responded to a call, and as they entered an estate in Lucan, they saw Ahmed dressed in a white tracksuit with blood stains.

They found another man sitting on the driveway with his hands covered in blood-soaked towels. The gardaí also saw severe cuts to the man’s hands.

The court heard that both men lived together with a few more housemates, and they did not get along. The night before, the window of the injured man’s car had been damaged.

When he came downstairs on the morning of the incident, he saw Ahmed standing in the kitchen holding two knives.

He went outside to look at his car, and Ahmed followed him and punched him a number of times and attempted to stab him in the stomach. The man gripped the knives that Ahmed was holding, resulting in injuries to his hands.

In an attempt to keep Ahmed away from him, the man threw a toolbar at him. Gda McGuire said the injured man was brought to Blanchardstown Hospital, where he received stitches to his hands.

Ahmed was arrested, and during questioning, he made some admissions.

Gda McGuire agreed with Carol Doherty, BL, defending, that there was some history between the two men. The garda agreed with counsel that it would be very unlikely for Ahmed to come before the court in the future.

Ms Doherty said her client was intimidated by the injured man and has complied with all bail conditions.

Counsel said Ahmed is a pizza chef and supports his entire family in Afghanistan. She asked the court to take into account his lack of previous convictions, the glowing letters handed into court on behalf of her client and asked Judge Nolan not to impose a custodial sentence.