Group armed with machete and slash-hook threatened man they would cut him up

Cork man jailed after pleading guilty to violent disorder in Mahon, among other crimes

Gardaí arrived and a number of males were arrested at the scene. John McDonagh did not argue with the guards, Cork District Court heard

Armed gardaí rushed to the scene after five men, armed with a machete, a slash-hook, bolt-cutters, a garden implement, and a hammer, threatened another man that they would cut him up.

The potentially violent incident occurred outside a house at Lakelands Crescent in Mahon.

The situation was described by Sergeant Pat Lyons at Cork District Court yesterday as one of the five armed men was jailed for a total of 16 months for this and other crimes.

John McDonagh, of 30 Ard Bhaile, Mayfield, Cork, pleaded guilty at Cork District Court to charges including a count of engaging in violent disorder at Lakelands Crescent on July 1.

Sgt Lyons said CCTV captured McDonagh at the scene while armed with the machete.

He said: “The defendant was one of a number of males outside the house on July 1 during the family dispute at Lakelands Crescent. He produced the machete. Five males were seen on CCTV with a hammer, slash-hook, machete, bolt-cutters, and garden implement.

“The injured party was threatened he was going to be cut,” Sgt. Lyons said.

Shane Collins-Daly, defending, said: “The night before this, Mr McDonagh was in the house with his partner’s family. He was the victim that night of a serious assault and hospitalised.

“He went to the house of the person who committed the assault on him looking for retaliation.

“Thankfully, gardaí arrived and a number of males were arrested at the scene. He did not argue with the guards,” Mr Collins-Daly said.

Judge Olann Kelleher said: “It is obviously a very serious matter, being armed with a machete.” 

The judge sentenced McDonagh to 10 months and a consecutive six months for various shoplifting incidents where he stole bottles of vodka and, on another occasion, some T-shirts and damaged more shirts.

Judge Kelleher said: “He is running amok in the city, causing trouble everywhere he goes. He is 30 now. It is up to him what he does in the future. But the court has to mark the seriousness of it.

“A number of shops were left without payment and an effort was made to pay them back.” 

T-shirts were damaged by having security tags torn from them and more shirts were stolen at Next in Mahon Point on July 29.

Bottles of vodka were stolen from Marks and Spencer on Patrick St, Tesco in Mahon Point, and Lidl on Cornmarket St.

McDonagh also pleaded guilty to being drunk and a danger in a taxi on November 3. Sgt. Lyons said McDonagh was so drunk he did not know who he was or where he was going.

Mr Collins-Daly said: “It goes without saying that he has a difficulty with alcohol for a number of years. He steals a bottle of vodka and then drinks it in its entirety.”