A man who brandished a kitchen knife following a disturbance with another was jailed by Judge Aeneas McCarthy at Castlebar District Court on Wednesday, while two other defendants who tried to intervene in his arrest faced public order charges.
Garda John Gallagher outlined to the court that he was called to a disturbance on Lower Charles Street on May 26 at 11.55pm where he observed James Jennings, Knockmore, Manulla discarding a knife over an adjacent wall which was recovered by gardaí.
Jennings was in an intoxicated state and while gardaí tried to arrest him his partner Charise Thackery, 35 McCormack Estate, Castlebar and Jennifer Jennings, 78 Glen Fort, Castlebar intervened in the arrest and failed to leave the area.
Defending solicitor Fiona McAllister said Jennings had been in a row with the occupants of the property where he was seen throwing the knife away, but had the knife in his possession as he had intended to damage their tyres, but not use it to harm anyone. Ms McAllister said that after a prison sentence for assault the defendant had got his life back on track and had not come to garda attention for the last two years. The solicitor also said that Jennings has a problem with drink and depression. Neither of the two women has previous convictions.
Judge McCarthy said that “what I’m aware of was that he was going around the streets with a weapon” and sentenced Jennings to six months in prison. Recognisances were fixed. The Probation Act was applied to Jennifer Jennings and Thackery.
