Stabbing victim hopes attacker ‘learns some sort of lesson’

A female bar worker has said her “whole life changed” through the anxiety she suffered after she was stabbed by a man she had escorted out of a pub in Mullingar.

Excerpts from the young woman’s victim impact report were read out at Mullingar District Court in the case dealing with an incident at Dominick Place, Mullingar on March 12, 2023.

Stephen Healy (35), of 6 The Elms, Ballinderry, Mullingar, had previously pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to his female victim on the night in question.

The court was told how the young woman had been on duty in a local establishment shortly before 9pm when the accused allegedly made “unwelcome comments” towards her.

Mr Healy became abusive and was asked to leave by the woman, who accompanied the accused out a side door.

It was at that stage, the court heard, that Healy reached into his pocket and struck the bar attendant at least twice, leaving her with a stab wound to the left hand side of her upper side chest area.

No definitive confirmation had been obtained by the state on the type of weapon used, and the court heared it was likely to have been a “sharp implement like a key”.

That incident left the bar worker with a one-centimetre puncture wound and a male bystander with a 10cm cut to his left forearm after he attempted to intervene to help the woman.

Two medical reports were also handed in to court, one of which told how a doctor believed a boxcutter knife may have been used as the wound treated in hospital was a “clean cut”.

Mr Healy, who has been on bail since the case first came before Mullingar District Court in June 2024, had been subject to what Judge Owens said was a “very comprehensive” psychologist’s report. A probation report is also on file for the attention of the court.

She said following an analysis of both, the preference of the court was to possibly conclude proceedings on the basis a “supervisory role” from the Probation Services would be adopted.

Judge Owens noted the psychology report and its findings that put Mr Healy at “moderate risk” of reoffending, adding it had also given a “very clear picture” of what had been at play for the accused at the time of the incident.

She also read out a direct passage from a victim impact statement on how the incident had affected the woman over the intervening two and a half years.

“I believe my life is actually the only one that has been affected by the incident and my whole life changed through the anxiety it caused me,” the woman said. “I really hope he learns some sort of lesson from this and that no other young girl just doing her job has to go through that or anything like it.”

Judge Owens said there was confirmation too of the “huge support network” Mr Healy had from his family, a factor the court would bear in mind before finalising matters.

She directed the release of the psychologist’s report to probation service to allow for an updated report to be compiled, and remanded Mr Healy on bail to Mullingar District Court on January 15, 2026.