Hi °C | Lo °C A father of one will be sentenced in April for slashing a man’s face on O’Connell Street leaving him with a scar from his ear to his mouth. Gareth Marlowe (31) of Walkinstown Drive, Walkinstown attacked his victim with a Stanley knife because he thought his brother had been assaulted.
His victim, Paul O’Shea, is a qualified barman but cannot find work in his field because of his injury. He had to receive laser treatment every three weeks for five months and will be left with the scar for the rest of his life.
Marlowe was found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of assault causing harm and assault causing serious harm on O’Connell Street on December 1, 2007. He continues to deny the charges.
Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the case until next April and remanded Marlowe in custody until then.
Garda Michael Fitzpatrick told the sentencing hearing that Mr O’Shea and his friends were walking on the street when a group of people stopped them and asked for money and cigarettes.
A brief tussle broke out but Mr O’Shea’s group left the scene when a knife was produced. Mr O’Shea’s group walked to the entrance of Madigan’s Pub where Marlowe ran at them and slashed Mr O’Shea across the face.
Mr O’Shea chased after Marlowe who was seen hiding the blade in a bin. He was arrested shortly afterwards. He admitted to being in the group but denied the attack.
Gda Fitzgerald told Sean Guerin BL, prosecuting, that Marlowe has 52 previous convictions including assault, drug possession and criminal damage.
Defence counsel Isobel Kennedy SC said her client lives with his partner and has one child who is in foster care. She said Marlowe has been using heroin since he was 13 and that when he was a child he was used as a drugs courier by dealers
She submitted that he still maintains his innocence in the assault and has been in custody since his conviction.
