'Not the Wild West' — Corkman jailed for smashing windows while wielding slash hook

Clonakilty District Court heard one of the incidents was triggered by an attack on Mr Creighton

The judge handed down two four-month prison sentences for the two criminal damage incidents and a two-month sentence for an associated public order charge, all of which can be served together, while Leo Creighton was also placed on a one-year Probation Bond in relation to another public order charge. File picture: Dan Linehan

A man with a slash hook and knife who smashed in windows on two properties having earlier been assaulted in the street is facing a prison sentence, with the judge saying the town where the incident unfolded was “not the Wild West”. 

Leo Creighton of Springmount in Clonakilty pleaded guilty to a number of charges relating to two separate dates last year, with Clonakilty District Court hearing the first incidents were triggered by Mr Creighton having been attacked.

Sgt Paul Kelly told Judge James McNulty that at 1.15am on July 21 last year gardaí received a call regarding a male breaking windows at a property in Parkview in Clonakilty and while en route, the officers were then told of a separate incident on Convent Way in the town.

Attending at that scene, they found the window had been broken and the woman living there said the man who had caused the damage had walked away.

Gardaí then found Leo Creighton, 33, on nearby Larkin St, where he was carrying a slash hook in his hand. He handed over the weapon and due to his level of intoxication he was arrested and taken to Clonakilty Garda Station, where a four-inch blade was also found on his person.

The Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently recommended he be charged with two counts of criminal damage and in relation to the possession of the slash hook and the hunting knife.

Mr Creighton’s solicitor, Colette McCarthy, said he was now pleading guilty to those charges and said that gardaí accepted that her client had been assaulted earlier the previous evening in an incident that was captured on CCTV.

She said gardaí were investigating the matter in which three men emerged from a pub and assaulted Mr Creighton. Ms McCarthy said her client had gone home following the incident but on seeing his face “all bloody” in the mirror, he then decided to visit the properties where two of the alleged assailants were staying.

Separately, Mr Creighton faced public order charges arising out of an incident on November 16 last. The court heard he was seen urinating outside a butchers in the town while intoxicated and was directed to leave the area. 

Instead he entered and then quickly left a pub and then became aggressive to gardaí, calling them “pussies”. The judge heard Mr Creighton was on bail at the time of that offence.

Sentencing

Mr Creighton had 10 previous offences and Ms McCarthy said he had encountered a number of difficulties and left school after sixth class.

Regarding the first incident she said: “I can only say that the reason he came back into town was because of what happened to him earlier in the day.” Judge McNulty said: “This is Clonakilty on a night in July. This is not the Wild West.” 

He acknowledged the assault and other difficulties but said Mr Creighton’s offending was continuing and escalating.

He handed down two four-month prison sentences for the two criminal damage incidents and a two-month sentence for an associated public order charge, all of which can be served together, while Mr Creighton was also placed on a one-year Probation Bond in relation to another public order charge.

For possession of the slash hook and knife he convicted Mr Creighton but deferred penalty pending a probation report due by July 4 next.

As for the November offences, gardaí withdrew one public order charge and on the other Mr Creighton received a two-month jail sentence, to be served after the four-month term.

Recognisance for appeal was set on Mr Creighton’s own bond of €100 and on the basis of a surety to be approved by the court of €900, one-third of which must be in cash.