A man from Ballina who drove after a car and threw a sledgehammer at it was convicted of criminal damage and the possession of an article with intent to cause injury at Ballina District Court this week.
Justin Cawley said that on August 10 2009 he observed a tractor on the right side of the road flash his lights to let him drive by. As he drove off, a white van emerged behind him and started to flash its lights and beep its horn. The van followed Mr Cawley. The car pulled in and the driver of the van, Henry O’Boyle, Rathball, Ballina, got out of the van with a sledgehammer and ran towards the car which Mr Cawley and his girlfriend were in. The sledgehammer was thrown at the car, which caused €1,524.88 worth of damage.
Questioned later about the incident O’Boyle stated that Mr Cawley and another car flew by him as he was pulled in to let the tractor by and the tractor was also forced into the ditch from the driving of Mr Cawley and the other car driver.
O’Boyle said he caught up with Mr Cawley who stopped his car in the middle of the road and he got out to see what the problem was. He had the sledgehammer in his hand to protect himself and heard Mr Cawley say “you old b***ard, we will find out where you live and come and kill you.” The defendant denied throwing the sledgehammer.
O’Boyle, who was not in court, has no previous convictions and works in a tool hire company.
Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined O’Boyle €500 for the criminal damage and ordered that €1,500 be paid in compensation. For the firearms charge, O’Boyle was convicted and fined €500 and sentenced to three months in prison suspended for 12 months.
