Man as like an 'enraged beast' at domestic incident

A man had to be pepper-sprayed three times by Gardaí after he smashed the windows of his parents’ home with a wheel-brace.

The 28-year-old Mayo man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, pleaded guilty earlier this month at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to a number of charges arising out of the incident. He admitted producing a wheel brace and damaging the windows and door of a house. All the offending occurred on December 1, 2025.

The man went to a property and caused damage to the front door, front window, and sitting room windows. He was also charged with producing a wheel brace in the course of a dispute at the residence.

A quantity of the drug MDMA was discovered on the man at a Garda station in the county. He was charged with being intoxicated in a public place and a breach of the peace when he engaged in threatening, abusing and insulting language. The male was also in breach of a barring order and a safety order.

The 28-year-old has been in custody since last December.

Gda Alex McDermott was accompanied by members of the Garda Armed Support Unit when he attended the scene. He observed the defendant, with blood on his hands, walking around the property. The accused adopted a fighting stance and appeared enraged and intoxicated.

Gardaí told him to get on the ground and cease his aggressive behaviour, but he refused to comply. He had to be pepper sprayed on three occasions before he eventually lay face down on the ground. He was then handcuffed and arrested.

The court heard the defendant's parents lived next door to his former partner. The wheel brace he used to break the windows was found on a wheelie bin which he had taken from his former partner’s property and unsuccessfully attempted to set on fire. The cost of the damage to the windows was €1,220.

Judge Eoin Garavan heard the man has six previous convictions.

Barrister Brendan McDonagh said his client was so intoxicated that Gardaí had to seek medical assistance for him on the night. He was addicted to alcohol and drugs and consumed vodka and drugs at the scene.

“He was completely off his head,” Mr McDonagh commented.

The court heard the man apologised to Gardai for his conduct, much of which he was unable to recall. His barrister said the man's parents were "petrified" on the night in question.

“When he gets into the big, bad world, what’s he going to do with himself?” asked Judge Garavan.

Mr McDonagh said his client plans to live with his brother when released from prison.

The judge said Gardaí were met with a “mad man, an enraged beast” on the night. He praised Gda McDermott for his courage.

Judge Garavan imposed a 28-month prison term and suspended the final six months for a period of two years. The sentence was backdated to December 1, 2025, to reflect time already spent in custody.

• Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.