You’ll end up in a body bag, Sligo man, 33, said to gardaí

A SLIGO man who told gardaí that that they “would end up in a body bag” has been jailed for three months on a raft of public order charges, at the district court.

David Kelly, 33, with addresses at Caltragh Crescent and Garavogue Villas, also told gardaí he would “burn them out” during a public order incident in Sligo last December.

The defendant pleaded guilty to assaulting his mother Ethel Kelly at Caltragh Crescent on June 13.

He also pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to a mobile phone belonging to Ethel Kelly on the same date.

The defendant admitted a charge of criminal damage by knocking off the front passenger door mirror of a car at JFK Parade on September 20 last year. The defendant pleaded guilty to having a sharply pointed blade, using threatening and abusive behaviour, refusing to comply with the directions of a peace officer on December 6 last year at Caltragh Crescent.

He also pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the cell door of a garda patrol van on December 6 last year.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to being drunk and a danger to himself and others and using threatening and abusive behaviour at Caltragh Crescent on March 24.

And he pleaded guilty to stealing bottles of Loop Aftershave to the value of €352 from Lloyd’s Pharmacy O’Connell Street on April 26.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to appear at Sligo District Curt on April 8 this year.

Sergeant Derek Butler told the court that gardaí had numerous reports that male had been threatening people in Caltragh Crescent with a sharply pointed blade on December 6 last year. A corkscrew was found hidden in his underpants and he was carrying it as a weapon.

He was repeatedly asked to leave the area.

The defendant got aggressive and threatened gardaí saying he knew where they lived and that they would be burned out

The defendant then asked the gardaí: “Do you know what I am capable of? And when I do it, I do it right, and you will end up in a body bag.”

The defendant was arrested, and he caused criminal damage to the cell door of the patrol van en route to Ballymote, causing damage to the locking mechanism by kicking and lashing out.

The court heard the defendant had paid compensation of €200 for the criminal damage to the wing mirror of a vehicle that happened on September 20 last year.

Defence solicitor Edmund Henry said the court was familiar with the defendant and his family.

There was not a lot to be said other than when the defendant does not take intoxicants, he is a wonderful person, but he relapses when he finishes his treatment and indulges in bravado and alcoholism.

He deeply regretted and apologies for the incidents with his mother.

Mrs Kelly told the court earlier that even though she loved her son she did not want him in her home.

Mr Henry said the defendant had been given every chance by the court and Aubrey Melville had tried to help him too but was not able to follow through.

Mr Henry said the defendant accepted that prison might be the best place for him at present.

David Kelly told the court he was granted bail on Thursday, June 10, and anxiety flared up.

He was 33 years of age and 11 of them had been spent in jail and he had been in care.

He again apologised for his behaviour.

Judge Kevin Kilrane said this was a case of a combination of illegal drugs, alcohol and mental health issues which was a lethal cocktail where people got involved in crime, become homeless and that is what has happened to Mr Kelly.

The problem starts with small amounts of cannabis, to alcohol which can partly cause mental health issues and ends up where young people are not allowed to live in their own home and then they go to places like Shalomar, and in many cases don’t stay there because they can’t cope, and they are homeless.

The judge said he knew of one case where Mr Melville bought a tent for a person in these circumstances and that was an appalling scenario.

The judge told the defendant that he needed to sit down in jail and come up with a plan for when he comes out. The judge said: “Can you work with somebody like Mr Melville? He is a volunteer and is not supported by the state and is a good samaritan.”

The judge said the defendant had an appalling vista for any young man and he had self-harmed also.

He noted the defendant had four children and how he was going to rebuild his life, the court did not know but that was a decision he would have to make in jail.

If he made a good decision, he may be able to “rescue your life even at this late stage and start building again”. But while there are problems, there is no situation without hope.

“If you put your mind to it you can start again’.

“I probably won’t see you again, but I am leaving you with these thoughts, said the judge.

Judge Kilrane said he was not impressed by the defendant’s denials in Donegal Town District Court that he had not assaulted his mother.

The judge said this was a “fabrication”.

Judge Kilrane told the defendant that whatever he did in the future, he should tell the truth.

He gave the defendant a three-month concurrent jail sentence on all charges before the court.