'IRA man' threatened to bite off garda’s fingers, Carlow court heard
Carlow courthouse Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A man who claimed to be a member of the IRA and threatened to “blow the place up” in Carlow town has been jailed for two months. Tom O’Donnell, aged 45, pleaded guilty at Carlow District Court to the public order offences of being intoxicated in a public place and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour or language in public.
The court heard that at 12.05am on 10 April, Garda Butler was flagged down on Bridewell Lane, Carlow town by a member of the public, who pointed to the defendant and said he was being followed around town by him. Mr O’Donnell, who lives at 56 Ravenswood, Cregg Road, Carrick on Suir, Tipperary, told the man that he was “going to get him”, claimed he was a member of the IRA and threatened to “blow the place up”.
He then became aggressive towards both gardaí present, threatening to headbutt Garda Phelan and threatening to bite off Garda Butler’s fingers. He continued to act in an aggressive and threatening manner after he was arrested and brought to the garda station, where he told the two gardaí that he would follow them home and kill them.
The court heard that the defendant has 21 previous convictions, none of which relate to the matters before the court. His most recent conviction was at Clonmel District Court, for which he received eight months’ imprisonment.
In mitigation, solicitor Alex Rafter said his client did not recall very much of the events in question. He told the court that Mr O’Donnell is currently on remand, with matters in Clonmel to be finalised later in the month, and asked the court to deal with the public order offences as leniently as possible.
Judge Geraldine Carthy convicted Mr O’Donnell and sentenced him to two months in custody for threatening and abusive behaviour in public, taking the public intoxication offence into account, adding that this included the condition that Mr O’Donnell “behave himself”.
