A Castlebar man who assaulted a member of the public who was reporting an incident to the gardaí at Castlebar Garda Station, was sentenced to three months in jail by Judge Mary Devins at Castlebar District Court this week.
Sergeant Peter Hanley outlined that on February 15 this year at 2.25am while in the public office, Owen McDonagh, 27 Castlegrove, Castlebar entered the station in an aggressive manner where he claimed that his partner had been assaulted by a man at the Traveller’s Friend in Castlebar. Sgt Hanley informed him that gardaí were aware of an incident at the TF and that gardaí had been deployed to the scene. McDonagh insisted that Sgt Hanley would go to the scene, but when the defendant was informed that Sgt Hanley would not go McDonagh left the scene.
However McDonagh shortly returned and said that he had been assaulted. The defendant was irate with Sgt Hanley and spat in the hatch window at the sergeant before McDonagh left. Again McDonagh returned; on this occasion a man had entered the station to report an incident. McDonagh shouted at him “you ba**ard”, ran at the man, and hit him in the chest. This was captured on CCTV.
McDonagh told the court that following a Valentine’s night meal and drinks with his partner, he was assaulted by his cousin, with McDonagh going to the gardaí to inform them of the situation. The defendant said that he doesn’t remember walking in and out of the station that night and has no recollection of assaulting the man, but said that he was very sorry and that he has not taken a drink since the incident.
The defendant who has a nine month old baby, with his partner expecting another, said that “prison is not helping me”, and he would undertake as much community service as possible so that he could be at home with his partner.
McDonagh who has previous convictions, was convicted and fined €500 by Judge Devins and ordered to pay €500 to the man he assaulted and was sentenced to three months in prison. Recognisnances were fixed.
