Ireland Two youths jailed for stabbing teenager 14 times in Tallaght
On 2 January 2021 at Tymon Lane in Tallaght, Dublin, a 16-year-old man was stabbed 14 times in what the court described as a vicious and premeditated attack. Sean Johnston, 22, and a co-accused, 20, who cannot be named for legal reasons and was just under 18 at the time, were initially charged with attempted murder, but both pleaded guilty to lesser charges: Johnston to assault causing serious harm and six threats to kill, and the co-accused to intentionally causing serious harm and a threat. At sentencing at the Central Criminal Court, Johnston received 12 years after a discount for his guilty pleas, and the co-accused received eight years with two and a half suspended, backdated to 28 January 2022. The latest reported development, in an article of 6 November 2023, gives a combined jail term of 13 and a half years, though the individual terms reported do not add up to that total.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced6 Nov
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Two youths stabbed a 16-year-old man 14 times in a vicious and premeditated attack.
- Where
- The stabbing took place at Tymon Lane in Tallaght, Dublin.
- When
- The stabbing took place on 2 January 2021.
- Other details
- Sean Johnston was 22 at sentencing; his co-accused was 20 at sentencing and was just under 18 at the time of the offence.
- The judge said both men were a millimetre away from receiving a life sentence.
- Charges
- Both men were initially charged with attempted murder, but the State accepted their guilty pleas and dropped the more serious charges.
- Johnston pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to the victim and to six threats to kill another teenager on 14 April 2021.
- The co-accused pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious harm to the victim and to a threat on 14 April 2021.
- In court
- The sentencing hearing took place at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
- Sentence
- The judge set a headline sentence of 16 years for Johnston and 13 years for the co-accused, reduced to 11 years because he was just under 18.
- After a one-quarter discount for guilty pleas, Johnston's sentence was 12 years.
- The co-accused received eight years with the final two and a half suspended, a net five and a half years, backdated to 28 January 2022.
- Sources give the combined jail term as 13 and a half years, but the individual terms reported (12 years and five and a half years) add up to 17 and a half years.
15 statements extracted from the articles
- whatTwo youths stabbed a teenager 14 times in a vicious and premeditated attack. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe stabbing took place at Tymon Lane in Tallaght. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe stabbing took place on 2 January 2021. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeJohnston pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to the 16-year-old victim. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeJohnston also pleaded guilty to six threats to kill another teenager, who was unrelated to the stabbing victim. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe co-accused pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious harm to the teenager. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeBoth men were initially charged with attempted murder, but the State accepted their pleas and dropped the more serious charges. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe sentencing hearing took place at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of 16 years for Johnston and 13 years for the second youth. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe judge reduced the co-accused's sentence to 11 years because he was just under 18 at the time. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceAfter a one-quarter discount for guilty pleas, Johnston's sentence was 12 years. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe second youth received eight years, with the final two and a half years suspended, resulting in five and a half years. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe second youth's sentence was backdated to 28 January 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe combined jail sentences for the two men total 13 and a half years. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe judge said the men were a millimetre away from receiving a life sentence. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 6 Nov2023Two ‘feral youths’ who stabbed teenager 14 times in Dublin are jailed
Sentencing report. Johnston also pleaded guilty to six threats to kill another teenager on 14 April 2021, and the co-accused pleaded guilty to a threat on the same date. No matching case appears in the existing list.
victim, 16, maleconvicted, Sean Johnston, 22, male, named, irish (judged from name)Sean Johnstonconvicted, 20, male