Judge Kerr said in the light of Clarke’s early guilty plea, he was entitled to “significant discount”
A man who twice stabbed his brother with a stanley knife today (Friday) narrowly avoided immediate custody.
Dennis Clarke (45), of the Ormeau Centre, in Belfast’s Waring Street, received a 27 month sentence suspended for two years.
He had previously pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court to a single count of wounding.
Judge Gordon Kerr KC warned the defendant: “If you do commit a further offence and are brought back to court you may have to serve the whole or part of the sentence I have imposed. You may also have to serve a sentence for whatever offence brings you back to court.”
The court heard that the defendant arrived home with his brother Kevin Thomas Michael Clarke at around 9 pm on December 11, 2024, after spending the day drinking.
The victim described the defendant as being “argumentative and really aggressive” but the reason behind the argument has never been explained, the court was told.
In a basis of plea between the prosecution and defence, it was agreed Clarke twice stabbed his brother with the blade of a stanley knife during the course of the argument.
During treatment in hospital, doctors observed a seven centimetre laceration to the right side of the victim’s chest and a two centre laceration to the neck.
The wounds were dressed with sutures and steristips which were removed ten days later during a follow up hospital appointment.
Clarke was subsequently arrested by police but answered ‘no comment’ to all questions while in custody.
Judge Kerr said he accepted a prosecution assessment that the custody threshold had been passed in the case.
He said that in mitigation, Clark has no previous convictions on his criminal record, he had expressed remorse for stabbing his brother and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
The court heard the victim also attended hospital where he was treated for a broken ankle. He said he didn’t have the fracture when walking home and had no recollection of how he had sustained the injury.
A defence barrister said Clarke has had significant health issues, including a heart condition and had to have two stents inserted after suffering a heart attack during the Coronavirus pandemic.
In a pre-sentence report compiled by the Probation Board, the author said Clarke was assessed as a medium likelihood of reoffending but did not pose a danger to the public in the future.
Said Judge Kerr: “Anyone who uses a knife in any circumstance and causes injury can anticipate that the custody threshold will be met.
“I consider that in this case, the fact that there were two lacerations which luckily were not the most serious but could have been, that the proper starting point for sentencing is three years in prison.”
Judge Kerr said in the light of Clarke’s early guilty plea, he was entitled to “significant discount” and reduced his sentence by 25 per cent to one of 27 months.
“Taking all matters into consideration in this case, I do not consider that an immediate custodial sentence is necessary and accordingly I suspend the sentence for a period of two years,” added Judge Kerr.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.




You must be logged in to post a comment Login