A MAN who stabbed a former partner in a savage attack will walk free from prison today.
Denis Leahy is being released after having served just 10 years in prison for the knife attack.
One of the country’s most dangerous inmates, Leahy, who violently stabbed mother-of-one Rose Kenny in Dublin in September 2014, is set to be released from the Midlands Prison in Co Laois this morning — despite being handed a 14-year sentence in July 2016 for her attempted murder.
He was moved to the tougher prison in 2023 after being caught with a phone in his cell at Dublin’s Arbour Hill Prison.
Ms Kenny, 59, who spent seven weeks in St James’s Hospital in Dublin fighting for her life, was lucky to survive the frenzied attack.
Following news of his release, Women’s Aid said it is imperative that authorities carry out a risk assessment before Leahy’s release.
Speaking about what safeguards must be put in place, CEO of Women’s Aid Sarah Benson said: “Women’s Aid is aware of the profound fear and anxiety any victim/survivor of violent assault by a current or former intimate partner experiences when the perpetrator is about to be released from custody.
“It is vital that appropriate risk assessments are always carried out on such offenders and protections put in place, such as safety or restraining orders, to keep the perpetrator away from their victim.
“We hope that probation and other relevant authorities are giving such consideration to risk and protection in this case also as a priority.”
In 2016, Leahy, of Queen Street, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to the attack on Ms Kenny at School Street Flats, Dublin 8.
Her injuries included three stab wounds to her neck – including one which cut through to her larynx – and three stab wounds to her chest.
During the sentence hearing, Mr Justice Paul Butler said: “It was only thanks to the highly skilful medical intervention that Ms Kenny had survived.”
