A Latvian citizen, who lived and worked in Limerick for several years, pleaded guilty in court to assault and harm to the victim on New Year’s Day 2021.
The 37-year-old Latvian woke up in his apartment that day and could not find his wife. In presenting the facts at the hearing, the prosecuting attorney said the defendant “put two and two together and got five.”
The court heard that the offender met a male acquaintance at the flat who had done some repairs and stayed for a drink. He started arguing with the man, then left, returned with a large kitchen knife and injured the victim.
The victim, a 45-year-old Iranian national who had been drinking a lot of whiskey with others in the apartment, said he did not remember what happened. He only remembered that he had gone out on the balcony of the apartment to get a cigarette and then he was woken up bleeding by his friends.
Paramedics and Garda attended the scene and the victim was taken to University Hospital Limerick where he was found to have suffered four stab wounds to his upper thigh and right side of his chest.
Witnesses who were in the flat at the time of the incident refused to co-operate with the Gardaí, however, with the help of CCTV footage and the testimony of members of the emergency services, it was established that the Latvian had blood on his hands and clothes.
