Brothers avoid jail after fracas in Macroom

TWO Mid-Cork brothers, who had to be separated and restrained from attacking each other by gardaí at their family home, have walked free from court after they both received suspended jail sentences.

Shane O’Driscoll (27) and John O’Driscoll (21) sat beside each other in the dock at Cork Circuit Criminal Court when they each pleaded guilty to committing affray at Millstreet Road, Macroom on March 19, 2017.

The state alleged in the charge that they each committed affray in that they had used or threatened to use unlawful violence towards the other in such a manner that would lead the other person to fear for their safety.

Det Garda Pat Prendergast told how gardaí received a phone call from the O’Driscoll’s father, William, at 4.40am on the morning in question that he needed an ambulance at his family home on the Millstreet Road in Macroom.

He and Garda Brian Ahern responded and when they arrived at the house, theymet John O’Driscoll outside the house who told them that he had stabbed his brother, Shane who was in the building

Shane O’Driscoll emerged from the house and struck John O’Driscoll with a claw hammer on the back of the head and was very aggressive towards both his father and the gardaí, said Det Garda Prendergast.

Garda Ahern managed to keep John O’Driscoll away from the house and, in the course of keeping him away, he admitted stabbing Shane O’Driscoll while he (Det Garda Prendergast) kept Shane O’Driscoll back from his brother.

Det Garda Prendergast said that Shane O’Driscoll had a stab wound to his back while John O’Driscoll had a wound to the back of his head but neither suffered serious or permanent injury in the incident.

He said that Shane O’Driscoll had 31 previous convictions including one for assault causing harm while John O’Driscoll had six previous convictions including for public order and unlawful taking of a car.

They had both gone for treatment for alcohol addiction issues in November 2019 and since they completed this course and returned to Macroom to live with their father, they had not come to the attention of gardai.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain said that in the circumstances, including the fact that they had been of good behavior since returning home post-treatment he believed the appropriate sentence was 18 months suspended for both men.