This article is from page 2 of the 2008-09-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
A MAN suspected of attacking his cousin with a hatchet, slept with a machete in his pillow case, it has been alleged in court.
The revelation came in the case of Anthony McDonagh (22), of Wa- terpark View, Ennis, who has been charged with assault causing harm to his second cousin David McDon- agh (24), at Browne’s hair salon, The Market, Ennis, on September 18 last.
He appeared before Kilrush Dis- trict Court last Wednesday, having been arrested the previous day. Bail was refused after gardai voiced grave concerns to the court.
Detective Garda Jarlath Fahy told
the court he believed that the inci- dent at the hair salon was part of an ongoing feud between two families.
“At 3 o’clock last Thursday, David McDonagh was sitting in a barber’s shop when he was struck twice on the head with a hatchet and beaten with an iron bar,” said Dt Gda Fahy.
He said there had also been previ- ous incidents in July. On one occa- sion, the accused, Anthony McDon- agh was attacked by a number of men with a machete and wheel brace while he trained at a gym in Ennis. On another occasion, shots were fired through the McDonagh home at Waterpark View. A loaded sawn-off shotgun was subsequently found in a laneway near the house.
He told the court that a machete was found in a pillowcase in the accused man’s bed when he was arrested on Tuesday morning.
He said that while gardai were not suggesting this was used in last Thursday’s incident, “we are saying he had it. The likes of that may be used in further incidents”.
“If bail is granted, the feud will es- calate and somebody will get injured or worse,” he said.
However, defending solicitor Daragh Hassett said his client – who is unemployed – has no previous con- victions and has no history of failing to answer bail. “There is no fear of flight. He has just finished the Ap- plied Leaving Cert. He’s going no-
where,’ he said.
He said his client was denying that he was involved in the hatchet in- cident and would be contesting the charge.
“He said he was at home. He is de- nying being involved in it,” said Mr Hassett. He said it would be a “total injustice” if his client was kept in custody.
Det Gda Fahy then said, “The in- jured party has made a statement identifying Anthony McDonagh as the man who struck him.”
However Judge Joseph Mangan re- fused bail and remanded the accused in custody.
He will re-appear in court next month.