Man jailed for stabbing architect after tennis court incident

A middle-aged architect had to give up his job after he was stabbed through the shoulder in a random attack following a tennis match, a court has heard.

Karl Boyne (31) was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four and a half years in jail for the stabbing and two separate offences, burglary and possession of a knife.

Boyne, of Pinewood Road, Ringsend, Dublin 4, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at Cambridge Park, Ringsend on March 5th, 2013.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing a knife on Thorncastle Street, Ringsend on June 8th, 2013 and to burglary of a petrol station on Beech Road, Dublin on February 5th, 2014.

Judge James O’Donohue said the knife attack had a “long, serious and detrimental effect” on the victim, Mr Jerzy Stacharski.

He said the Polish national, now aged 65, has had to give up his job as an architect because of his fearful state caused by the assault. He remains afraid of going to open areas and has become isolated, requiring social care.

Sergeant David Wogan told the court that Mr Stacharski had arranged to play tennis with two friends at Cambridge Park, Ringsend on the day in question.

They played tennis for several hours, finishing up shortly before 9:25pm, and then returned to Mr Stacharski’s car which was parked nearby.

Mr Stacharski got into the driver seat and began to turn the car, when there was a knock on the window and he saw a man standing there.

Mr Stacharski saw a large butcher’s knife come in through the window towards his neck. He grabbed the blade, then released it and grabbed the man’s sleeve.

The knife then went into his shoulder, although Mr Stacharski didn’t realise at first that he had been hurt. He put up the electric window and the man withdrew his hand and the knife.

Mr Stacharski spent 12 hours in accident and emergency in St Vincent’s Hospital and underwent an operation on his shoulder next day.

Boyne was arrested and admitted the stabbing. He said he’d been playing football in the park earlier that evening when the ball went into the tennis court, and he kicked it at the net.

Boyne said Mr Stacharski said something “in a mad language” and threw a tennis racket at him.

The accused said he went off then to get the knife which he had stashed in nearby bushes, meaning to threaten Mr Stacharski with it.

He said he had taken various drugs and alcohol at the time. Boyne has 41 previous convictions, the most serious being a robbery for which he got a five-year sentence.

Judge O’Donohue said Boyne should avail of drug rehabilitation while in custody.