Former corporal in Irish Army seriously assaulted a woman, Dundalk court told

A former corporal in the Irish Army who seriously assaulted a woman while on bail for a separate incident where he used his car as a weapon twice against a motorist he had rear ended, has been jailed for three years at Dundalk Circuit Court.

Derek Donegan (39) formerly with an address at Hyde Park, Dundalk pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at an address in Dublin on July 13th last year admitted a charge of endangerment on April 25th 2021.

The first victim was driving in Bellurgan when he was rear-ended by a van driven by the defendant.

He got out to speak to the accused who initially apologised to him, but as the man took photos of the scene, Derek Donegan drove at him and hit him below the knees.

READ NEXT: Man jailed for dangerous driving causing serious harm in Louth

The victim managed to climb onto the bonnet to avoid being run over, and the defendant made his way cross country through Faughart via Thistle Cross.

At St. Brigid's Shrine he reversed and rammed the man's car into a ditch.

When he was arrested about two hours later, Derek Donegan claimed he had spent most of the time trying to lose the complainant so that he could feel safe.

He has four previous convictions and the Defence barrister said his client has a drug and alcohol problem but has attempted to deal with his issues and has not used cocaine since the assault incident.

Judge Dara Hayes, who said he had used a car as a weapon on two occasions when it appears all the other motorist had been attempting to do was to get his insurance details, put back the case for finalisation to last Wednesday, so that three clean urinalysis results could be produced.

He imposed concurrent sentences totalling four and a half years for the endangerment and assault causing harm, backdated to May 23rd to allow for nine weeks spent in custody on the second offence, and suspended the final 18 months on him entering a good behaviour bond subject to a number of conditions including placing himself under the supervision of the Probation Service for 18 months post release.