A Galway man who breached a protection order and was found covered in blood by gardai following a call from his frightened mother was given a two months sentence at Galway District Court this week.
Patrick McCarthy (21 ) with an address at 167 Cairel Mhor, Headford Road, Galway, was before Judge Mary Fahy once again on Monday. At a court sitting last month McCarthy pleaded guilty to contravening a protection order and placing his mother in fear by smashing crockery and cuttting himself at his home, contrary to Section 17(1 ) of the Domestic Violence Act.
The court had heard that that on October 10, 2010, at 9.45pm the defendant’s mother, who had a protection order in place, contacted gardai to report that her son was “very violent”. Inspector Mick Coppinger explained: “When gardai arrived at the scene he was covered in blood, it was all over his hands and neck area. His mother showed gardai the protection order and said that he had been self-harming and then showed them the crockery which had been broken on the ground. There was a cut on his neck.” The inspector added that McCarthy, who has 51 previous convictions, violently resisted arrest and pepper spray had to be utilised in order to subdue him.
Judge Fahy had expressed concern about the defendant and the case was adjourned to ensure he receive the proper medical attention.
When the case resumed this week the court heard that McCarthy had received a six months sentence, five months of which was suspended with conditions, for other matters. For the breach of the protection order Judge Fahy imposed a two month sentence to run concurrently to the sentence already being served.
