Man threatened to stab a shop assistant in Louth
A man who produced a knife and threatened to stab a shop assistant and went on to attack armed gardaí with a garden hoe has been jailed
A man who produced a knife and threatened to stab a shop assistant who had told him that he was on CCTV and went on to attack armed gardaí with a garden hoe when they arrived to arrest him at his home, was jailed for 17 months at Dundalk Circuit Court.
Conor McManus (34) of Ashbrook, Tom Bellew Avenue, Dundalk had been sent forward from the district court on signed pleas of robbery and production of a knife at Centra, Greenacres, Dundalk and assaulting a garda causing him harm, and threatening to assault a second garda on April 5th last year.
The court heard last Tuesday that the series of events began around 6.30pm, when the defendant picked up three cans of Four Loko worth €13.50 at the back of the premises and he told a member of staff who told him he was on CCTV that he was going to pay, but he put the drinks in a carrier bag and took out a knife with a 6 inch blade.
The man stood back saying "You're a big man with a knife" and the defendant replied "Get away from me or I'll stab you".
The defendant threatened to stab the man again as he left the store and escaped on an e-scooter.
Gardaí subsequently arrived at his home, with the Armed Support Unit, and breached the front door when they got no reply.
The investigating garda said he was behind two of his colleagues as they opened a bedroom door and saw the defendant swing a garden hoe at their heads before lunging at them.
One cut his hand, as he blocked it from hitting his face.
He was arrested at 8.15pm, after violently resisting.
The defendant, who had 23 previous convictions, denied making the threats in the shop or having a knife and claimed he had “just walked out” but he apologised and admitted producing the knife, when he was told of the CCTV footage.
He claimed there was a “list” of people who were “going to cut me up” and claimed he didn't know it was the guards who had entered his home saying "I told you I’m fighting with other people.”
The Defence barrister said his client began taking drugs at 13 before progressing to heroin and crack cocaine, and he continued to misuse cannabis and tablets.
The lawyer added Mr McManus was in assisted living accommodation at the time, but had struggled away from monitoring in the Simon Community and had since lost his housing.
Judge Dara Hayes imposed concurrent terms of two years and eight months with the final 15 months suspended.