This article is from page 4 of the 2014-05-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
A 22-YEAR-OLD man has received a suspended sentence for his role in a violent burglary at an apartment in Ennis last summer.
Darren Maughan (22) was one of two people who broke into 15 Sandfield Mews between 12.30 and 12.45am on July 23, 2013. He assaulted Declan O’Dea who was asleep in bed at the time.
Mr O’Dea, in a state of fear, jumped from a first floor window to escape Mr Maughan, breaking his ankle when he hit the ground, Ennis Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday. In March, Mr Maughan, with an address at Stonecourt, Drumbiggle, Ennis, pleaded guilty to entering the apartment as a trespasser and committing an arrestable offence therein, assault causing harm to Declan O’Dea.
Yesterday the court heard Mr Maughan was on bail at the time for another assault he committed in Drumbiggle Drive, on January 20, 2013, to which he also pleaded guilty.
Judge Carroll Moran yesterday gave Mr Maughan an immediate two-year prison sentence for the assault at Drumbiggle and imposed a two year suspended sentence for the offence at Sandfield Mews.
Giving evidence in respect of the burglary at 15 Sandfield Mews, Detective Inspector John Galvin (Ennis Garda Station) told the court Mr Maughan and a companion broke into the apartment after failing to gain entry.
The court heard Mr Maughan went into Mr O’Dea’s room and started to beat him “viciously” around the head. Det Insp Galvin said the victim was so fearful he jumped from the first floor window. The court heard Mr O’Dea broke his ankle and lay in bushes for a period of between 90 minutes and two hours when gardaí were called to the scene.
The court heard both parties had consumed a number of bottles of vodka earlier in the day. Det Insp Galvin agreed with prosecuting counsel Stephen Coughlan’s view that Mr Maughan had consumed a “vast” amount of alcohol.
“Intoxicated beyond comprehension is the best way I could describe it,” added Det Insp Galvin.
The court heard that between 2009 and 2014 Mr Maughan received 53 convictions for offences including assault, public order and criminal damage.
Det Insp Galvin agreed with defence counsel Lorcan Connolly’s assessment that all of Mr Maughan’s past offences arose from problems with drink.
Counsel said, “He’s not a bad lad, save and except when he’s the drink on board.” Mr Connolly said his client wished to apologise for his offence. Counsel said his client had pleaded guilty at an early stage and is undergoing a number of educational programmes in prison.
In the witness box, Mr Maughan Judge Moran “I’m stopping drinking for life when I get out. I want to change my life around.”
Judge Moran said the accused has “clearly a propensity for violence when he is drunk” and has an “appalling record”.
He imposed the two year sentence for assault at Drumbiggle but agreed to suspend a consecutive two year sentence for the offence at Sandfield on condition Mr Maughan abstain from drink and be of good behaviour for five years.