A COUNTY Limerick man who tried to damage a garda patrol car with a plank of wood, then produced a meat clever and urinated in the car on the way to Roxboro Garda Station, has been given a suspended sentence and bound to the peace for two years.When he was initially charged at Limerick District Court with possession of the cleaver and criminal damage to the garda car, 19-year-old Stephen McDonagh crumpled the bail sheet and threw it back at the judge. The court heard that when Garda Sgt. O’Connell was called to the defendant’s home at Carnane, Fedamore,
shortly after 3pm on January 12 last, he found Stephen McDonagh in an agitated state and involved in a disturbance at the house.
After attempting to hit the patrol car with a plank of wood, he went to the back of the house and produced a meat cleaver. However he dropped the weapon and was taken to Roxboro Garda Station but urinated in the back seat of the car while in custody.
When he was granted bail at a special sitting of the court later the same day, he crumpled the bail sheet and threw it in the direction of Judge Eugene O’Kelly who remanded him in custody for a week.
When he reappeared in court this week, Judge O’Kelly heard that he had his difficulties with anger management and addiction.
After he gave an undertaking to engage with the Bedford Row Project and deal with his issues, Judge O’Kelly sentenced him to four months in prison for the possession of the meat clever but suspended it for eight months and bound him to the peace for two years for urinating in the patrol car.
