Judge Mary Devins this week convicted a Castlebar man of assaulting his partner and sentenced him to three months in prison, with the warrant for his committal not to come into effect until January 12, 2011. However Judge Devins said that she was in a position of having to make a judgment on the assault on behalf of the people of Ireland as the person who was assaulted refused to make a complaint.
At a sitting of Castlebar District Court in November she was given evidence that gardaí observed Owen McDonnagh, 56 An Sruthán, Castlebar, assaulting Anne Josephine McDonagh on February 3 2010 at 27 Castlegrove Park, Castlebar. The gardaí had been called to the incident by Ann Josephine McDonagh, but she refused to make a complaint against him.
In court this week Owen McDonagh told the court that his partner would take him back if he did not go to prison and that he was still actively involved with his two children since the incident. Solicitor for McDonagh, Aidan Crowley, told the court that his client had a number of previous convictions which were mostly related to abuse of alcohol and drugs and that he had gone to seek psychiatric help for his issues and would do so again.
Judge Devins imposed a three month sentence on McDonagh for the assault on Ann Josephine McDonagh but suspended the issuing of the warrant for his incarceration until January 12, 2011 to see how he got on with his partner and children over the Christmas and New Year period. McDonagh was also convicted for an assault on Garda John Murphy on the same date at 27 Castlegrove which was taken into consideration. He was also convicted of threatening and abusive behaviour on Thomas Street, Castlebar, on September 27 for which he was convicted and sentenced to three months in prison concurrent to the sentence already imposed. For a separate public order charge of being intoxicated and threatening and abusive behaviour outside the courthouse in Castlebar on October 6 he was also sentenced to three months in prison concurrent. McDonagh was also convicted and fined €100 for possession of cannabis.
