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A MOTHER OF one accused of stabbing a 45-year-old man in the chest in Dublin, leaving him fighting for his life, has been refused bail.

Blessed Mercy Mtwali (27), currently of no fixed address, appeared before Judge Ciaran Liddy at Dublin District Court on Wednesday facing a charge under Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, which on conviction carries a life sentence.

It is alleged she caused serious harm to a man who was a friend during the incident outside his home on Tuesday at North Great Charles Street and at present his chance of living was “very, very low”

Pleading for bail, defence counsel Paddy Flynn said his client was seeking, like her name, “blessed mercy” and would make the case that she acted in self-defence; however, her application was denied.

Ms Mtwali, previously of College Heights and St Ronan’s Terrace, in Dundalk, Co Louth, was remanded in custody to appear again next week.

Garda Karen O’Connell opposed bail due to flight risk fears and the seriousness of the case.

She said that on arrival at the scene, Dublin Fire Brigade medics were treating the injured man who “had received a stab wound to the chest”.

He was then transferred to the Mater hospital by ambulance.

Ms Mtwali was alleged to have been at the scene and had several injuries to her face and mouth, blood on her hands and clothes and told gardaí, “I stabbed him, I got the knife”.

The woman, who is on social welfare, was brought to Mountjoy Garda Station, and a doctor was called to examine her injuries before she was also brought to hospital for assessment.

O’Connell said items of interest have been seized for evidential purposes, including the suspected offensive weapon, a large kitchen knife.

The court heard that the man remains in intensive care at the Mater hospital in critical condition after undergoing two separate surgeries.

Excellent quality CCTV footage of the incident has been harvested, showing the accused strike the injured party with a knife in the chest, the garda told the court. It was not played during the bail hearing.

The court heard Ms Mtwali had no bench warrant history or previous convictions.

Cross-examined, the garda agreed with counsel that the accused knew the man as a friend or casual partner and that he had hit her first. The garda accepted that the accused had spoken about an altercation but did not say who had been hit first.

The officer agreed there had been violence before the stabbing.

Mr Flynn said he was instructed the injured man brought the knife, which fell before his client had picked it up off the ground and defended herself.

The court heard the man received a single stab, with the barrister arguing that it could not be described as premeditated.

The garda told the court the man’s condition was expected to deteriorate and a more serious charge could follow.

Mr Flynn said her connections were significant: she came to Ireland in 2007 from Zimbabwe and later attained citizenship. Her mother and child are also here, and she had ties to Dundalk, the defence also stressed, adding that bail could be granted with conditions.

Counsel said his client could reside with her mother, but the garda was unable to confirm if the accused was permitted to live there, and said that Ms Mtwali had been couch-surfing at other addresses.

The defence emphasised her presumption of innocence and disputed the State’s assertion that the young mother lacked ties to the country.

Judge Liddy held there was a considerable body of evidence in the case, and it was probable she would abscond.

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