Man accused of slashing another man in the in Dundalk found not guilty
The man had denied assault causing harm, production of a knife in the course of a dispute and making a threat to kill or cause serious harm at Glenmore Park, Muirhevnamor, Dundalk
A 35 year old man accused of slashing another man in the face with a knife, was last week found not guilty by direction of the trial judge at Dundalk Circuit Court.
John Joyce with an address at Oldbridge, Toberona, Dundalk had denied assault causing harm, production of a knife in the course of a dispute and making a threat to kill or cause serious harm at Glenmore Park, Muirhevnamor, Dundalk on September 10th 2022.
The complainant in the case told the jury last Thursday that he was looking to buy drugs when he was cut with a knife after getting in a row.
When asked if he remembered who used the knife, the witness said “I’m not really sure”.
After being given the opportunity to read his garda statement, the man said he ‘vaguely’ remembered making it to hospital.
The jury heard he said John Joyce had hit him "a headbutt" and produced a silver knife and tried to stab him in the stomach, before cutting him on the arm and slashing him on the side of his face.
During cross examination by the Defence counsel, the witness confirmed he was in the throes of an addiction at the time.
When he was told hospital staff said he admitted having alcohol, but denied taking drugs he replied “I would not have admitted taking drugs back then – dishonesty comes with that”.
When the barrister, who said her client denies being the person who assaulted him, put it to him that he was mistaken that Mr Joyce was involved, the witness replied “I could’ve been”.
The investigating garda gave evidence of the man having a wound to his face and a laceration on his left arm when he arrived on the scene around 4pm, after an anonymous caller reported the incident.
He said the defendant had a cut to his forehead when he was arrested later that day.
During cross examination, the garda confirmed no recording was available of that phone call, the two paramedics who attended the scene had not made statements, nor had the observer in the patrol car and no maps or photographs were available - and the scene, in an open public area, had not been preserved for examination.
He also confirmed a warrant had not been obtained to search the defendant’s home.
When re-examined by the Prosecution, about his observations of the complainant’s condition at the scene, the garda replied that he was fully coherent and was firm that he wanted to make a statement before the paramedics took him to hospital.
Following legal argument at the end of the State’s case, Judge Dara Hayes directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict for all three counts.