Three month prison sentence for man who kicked in door of clothes shop

A Ballyhaunis man who pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to a clothes shop in Ballyhaunis and two public order charges was given a three month prison sentence in Ballyhaunis District Court. Simon McDonnagh, 45 Toraree, Ballyhaunis, pleaded guilty in court to all the charges laid against him. Garda John Paul O’Connor told the court that on Saturday June 19 2010 at 6.50pm, Eddie Murphy jnr of Eddie Murphy Menswear called to the Garda Station in Ballyhaunis, he had part of the side door of the premises with him which had just been kicked in. Garda O’Connor went to the business premises with Mr Murphy where he found Simon McDonnagh inside the shop in a highly intoxicated state with another man. There were between 10 or 12 other people in the shop at the time, and McDonnagh was being abusive towards the people in the shop. Garda O’Connor told the court that he got McDonnagh outside the shop and eventually McDonagh calmed down and the Garda let him go home with a relative who was passing by the street. Garda O’Connor went on to say that when he reviewed the CCTV footage from the shop he could clearly see that McDonnagh kicked in the side door of the premises, and he then arrested McDonnagh at a later date on foot of his investigations. Solicitor for McDonnagh, Evan O’Dwyer, told the court that his client had been in trouble before, but had kept himself out of trouble for the last three years. On the day in question McDonagh was upset after someone close to him had died and he paid €900 compensation towards the damage caused. For the criminal damage he was convicted and fined €500 and sentenced to three months in prison, for trespassing he was convicted and fined €250, committing threatening and abusive behaviour in a public place and being intoxicated in a public place were both taken into consideration. Recognisance was fixed in lieu of an appeal.