Two men were sentenced to prison this week after they smashed up a car and door to a house of a Castlebar man.
Superintendent Peter O’Boyle outlined to Castlebar District Court that on March 4 2011, Jimmy McDonagh 11 The Grove, Castlebar and Owen McDonagh, 27 Castlegrove, Castlebar went to 1 Rowan Drive, Castlebar where they attacked a car belonging to John Maughan. Both defendants smashed the car windows with iron bars and bottles. Owen McDonagh also smashed the glass patio door of Mr Maughan’s residence.
Estimated damage to the car was €6,791 and damage caused to the patio door was €1,100.
Both defendants admitted the criminal damage charges, however neither men could remember the incident as they had consumed beer and vodka which they had bought following a day of fishing.
The court heard that there have been issues between the McDonagh and Maughan family, with an incident occurring last year.
Jimmy McDonagh (25 ), who is married with two children, has eight previous convictions. Owen McDonagh has 42 previous convictions. Neither man has attempted to pay compensation to the injured party.
Judge Mary Devins put the case back to second calling to see if the men could come up with an appropriate figure for compensation as, if they have “enough money for fishing and drinking”, they must have money for compensation.
Neither man could offer compensation that day but they were willing to come up with €2,000 each if they were given six months to do so. Judge Devins said that six months was far too long for them to come up with the money. For criminal damage to the car, Owen McDonagh was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison and fined €500, with the final three months of the sentence suspended on the condition that €4,000 is made available on or before August 1 2011. Owen McDonagh was also convicted and sentenced to three months in prison concurrent for the criminal damage caused to the door. Jimmy McDonagh was convicted and fined €500 and sentenced to six months in prison, with the final three months suspended, on the condition that €4,000 be made available by August 1.
