Threatened two men with wheelbrace and a bottle

A 33-year-old man who jumped out his car and threatened two men with a wheel brace and a bottle in a fit of ill temper in the early hours of the morning was given a suspended jail term by Judge Kevin Kilrane at Sligo District Court.

Before the Court was Enda McGowan of Dromore, Letterkenny who was charged with possession of a wheelbrace at Ash Lane on February 2nd last and with engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.

He was also charged with drunk driving at Duck Street. He was represented by Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor.

Inspector Paul Kilcoyne told the court that at 4.45am Gardaí received a report of two men being threatened as they walked near the Regional Stores by a man with a wheel brace.

Gardaí went to the scene and saw the defendant get into a Golf car and drive away at speed. The car was followed and was stopped with the driver later being arrested for drunk driving.

Garda Kevin Donegan told the court the incident had started on The Mall when two men were walking in the direction of Ballinode with a number of females.

The defendant approached and it was felt his behaviour was not right and he was asked to leave by the two men.

McGowan then threatened the two men who continued on walking.

As they were approaching the Regional Stores a Golf drove up at speed, turned around and stopped.

McGowan got out and he had a wheel brace in one hand a bottle in the other which smashed in his hand.

The two men took off and hid from the defendant behind a fence. Gardaí arrived soon after.

A sample from the defendant showed a concentration of 181mgs of alcohol per 100mls of blood.

Mr MacSharry pleaded that the defendant had addiction difficulties and he was not long out of prison having served a year.

Inspector Kilcoyne said the defendant had 57 previous convictions including theft, assault, burglary and road traffic offences.

McGowan told the court he was released from prison last January and he had now conquered his gambling and alcohol addictions.

He was ready to return to college with the aim of earning a qualification to become a chef.

“I haven’t done anything in the past four months, drinking or gambling,” he said.

Mr MacSharry said the defendant told him he had turned a corner while in prison and was asking not to be sent back there.

Judge Kilrane said the defendant appeared to have been out of his mind with alcohol or drugs or a combination of both.

He had behaved in a most violent way and had accosted two men minding their own business.

He was in such a fit of temper he broke a bottle he had in his hand.

The incident had occurred at 4.45am in a residential area with people asleep and it was a shocking case, said the Judge.

He asked the defendant what was the meaning of his behaviour and he replied that he had been provoked by being “called names by these people.”

Judge Kilrane told the defendant that he hoped he wasn’t going down the road of being the victim.

McGowan said he wasn’t and that he took full responsibility.

“I never had any intention of hurting anyone,” he said.

Judge Kilrane imposed two consecutive five month suspended jail terms for the weheel brace and drunk driving offences and banned him from driving for four years.

This was on condition there was no road traffic conviction for three years or a conviction for violence or an indictable offence.

A consecutive term of two months was also suspended on the public order offence.