Man 'terrified pub staff and patrons with gun'

A young Dublin man who "terrified" staff and patrons at a pub with a gun because he was refused entry has been sentenced to nine years in jail with two suspended.

Conor Beacom (aged 23) of Kilmahuddrick Lawns, Bawnogue, Clondalkin, told gardaí he “just wanted to frighten the doorman” when he returned to The Swallow Pub armed with an unloaded sawn-off shotgun after being turned away on November 11, 07. He was on bail for an assault at Lindisfarne Park, Clondalkin on February 16, 2006 at the time.

Beacom pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to both possession of a firearm and two assaults at The Swallow Pub, St Cuthbert’s Road, Clondalkin and the 2006 serious assault, which left the victim with multiple stab wounds and scalp lacerations.

Judge Katherine Delahunt gave Beacom six years with two suspended for the firearm offence and a consecutive three-year sentence for the earlier assault.

Judge Delahunt said she considered Beacom’s gun crime so serious that it went beyond the mandatory five-year minimum sentence.

Garda Basil Grimes told Ms Rosin Lacey BL, prosecuting, that the 2006 assault victim was helping to deliver a washing machine with his uncle to a house in west Dublin when Beacom came into the room and said to him: “You had my old fella charged.”

Garda Grimes said Beacom told the man to drop the charges and then punched the victim in the face. The homeowner pushed Beacom out the door and the victim and his uncle returned to their van.

The victim was half way into the van when he received a blow to the back of the head quickly followed by a second slap. The man fell into the passenger seat in a sitting position and was then hit into his face a several times with a hammer by Beacom. He also felt himself being hit in the stomach and back a number of times.

Garda Grimes said a couple dragged Beacom from the van but he managed to hit the victim in the ankle first.

The victim, who spent five days in intensive care, was treated in hospital for multiple stab wounds and lacerations to his scalp. He also underwent brain scans and surgery for injuries to his bowels.

Beacom, who has six previous convictions, was arrested some time later and admitted stabbing the victim.

Defence counsel, Mr Bernard Condon BL, said Beacom had a difficult family background giving rise to anger management issues which he has recently sought to address. He said Beacom was “not a thoroughly bad person” and he could be of use to society in the future.

He said Beacom had made voluntary admissions during interview which were of help to the gardaí.