A man was today sentenced to three years in jail for an alcohol-fuelled assault on his brother in Dublin last November.
Mark McCann (30), formerly of Regina Drive, Finglas, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his brother Anthony McCann on Balcurris Road, Ballymun on November 14th, 2002.
Judge Frank O'Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, said it was a very serious crime and "rooted in alcohol" as were many violent assaults both in the home and on complete strangers.
Garda William McKinley told prosecuting counsel, Mr Damian Colgan BL, that McCann had been staying with his brother for a few months when the incident happened.
He had an argument with his brother's girlfriend over a phone and Anthony tried to intervene. He then saw a knife in his brother's hand and a screwdriver in his girlfriend's hand and went to get his sister.
Garda McKinley said that when Anthony returned to the flat with his sister, there was an altercation between the two brothers and Anthony was cut on the face and chest.
Garda McKinley said Anthony McCann did not want to make a victim impact report but seemed to be recovering well. Defence counsel, Mr Sean Gillane BL, said the McCann's came from a family with eleven children. McCann was a young teenager when his mother died and drank heavily in his teenage years and twenties.
Judge O'Donnell said the maximum sentence for this offence was five years but he would give McCann a discount for his guilty plea.