Teen luck not to be blinded in stiletto attack

A teenage girl who stabbed another girl with a stiletto heel during a drunken row after a school graduation ceremony, has been told that she faces jail if she doesn’t co-operate with the Probation Service.

Judge Gerald Keys gave the warning to Shannon Jordan (19) of Lios Anama, Sixmilebridge at Ennis Circuit Court this week.

In the case, Ms Jordan’s victim, Natasha Griffin McMahon – who was aged 17 at the time of the assault in August 2015 – suffered a fractured eye socket and laceration, when Jordan used the pointed heel of her shoe to strike her in the face.

Ms Jordan has pleaded guilty to the assault and in her victim impact statement, Ms Griffin McMahon said that she came close to being blinded by the stiletto attack.

She said the deepest cut from the stiletto “was millimetres below my eye”.

“If it had been even slightly higher, I would have lost my eye completely or, at best, my sight. It terrifies me to think of how much my life would have been affected if that had happened.”

Ms Griffin McMahon said she had to undergo extensive medical treatment to deal with her facial injury after the attack and it was only after four to five months that she began to regain the feeling and movement on that side of her face.

She said she feels lucky that the outcome to the altercation wasn’t worse.

“It still unnerves me to think how close I came to being blinded and to how much worse this could have been. It is shocking how quickly a weapon was introduced to this altercation and how dangerous it proved to be.”

In her statement, read out to court, Ms Griffin McMahon continued, “Every time I met with the doctor, they advised me of how fortunate I had been; fortunate not to have lost my eye and fortunate to have been under such good care at the hospital that they were able to recover the feeling in my face.”

The incident occurred in Shannon Town Centre as a group of teenagers returned from a school graduation ceremony in Limerick in the early hours of August 25, 2015.

It is accepted that Ms Jordan did not remove her shoes for the purpose of attacking Ms Griffin McMahon.
Ms Jordan has been paying compensation to Ms Griffin McMahon at a rate of €50 a week since February of this year and her solicitor had €1,700 in court on Wednesday.

In all, she is to pay €5,000 in compensation to Ms Griffin McMahon.

Detective Sergeant Kevin O’Hagan previously told the court that there was a high level of intoxication among the group as they returned by bus from Limerick.

The court heard that when the bus arrived at Shannon at around 3am, a verbal argument erupted between Ms Griffin Jones and Ms Jordan’s then boyfriend.

Detective Sergeant O’Hagan said Ms Griffin McMahon pushed Ms Jordan, who was carrying her shoes in her hand after the night out. Ms Jordan then used the shoe to strike her victim in the face.

In court this week, counsel for Ms Jordan, Patrick Whyms, BL, said there was a Probation Report in court and it’s “not entirely glowing” for his client.

He said the problem with the Probation Report is that it appears that Ms Jordan’s engagement with the service has not being totally satisfactory.

Addressing Ms Jordan, Judge Gerald Keys told the defendant to engage with the Probation Service “otherwise you are facing a custodial sentence”.

Detective Sergeant O’Hagan said that later on the night of the assault, Ms Jordan attended Shannon Garda Station and made admissions. She had indicated at the time that her actions were in self-defence.
Ms Jordan has no previous convictions and works in the bar trade. He said that there is a “very minimal” risk of her re-offending.

Mr Whyms, BL, said it was never his client’s intention to cause injury to the girl’s eye. He said it was an “excessive reaction” to being pushed.

Judge Keys adjourned sentencing to December 18 and remanded Ms Jordan on continuing bail to that date.