A judge has said that “mayhem” was caused in a violent incident in Ennis where a Garda was used a human shield from a hatchet wielding 16-year old.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Gerald Keyes was commenting on an attack by members of the McDonagh family on feuding rivals, the Dohertys where Gardai were powerless to prevent another man slashing his victim 11 times across the face and back with a Stanley knife in broad daylight.
Judge Keyes said: ”I want to try to understand why people would act in such a way and lose the head and absolutely cause mayhem in a public place, exposing Gardai and innocent members of the public to huge danger of injury and resulting in very serious injury to one of the Doherty family.”
The incident at the Maid of Erin roundabout in Ennis on October 14th last year was the latest flashpoint between the two local feuding traveller families.
A member of the McDonagh family had been assaulted in church grounds at a wedding in the days previous to the Maid of Erin flashpoint. Judge Keyes said: “This feuding is going on and on and on and it just beggars belief that it continues. These are very, very serious offences and would automatically command custodial sentences and I am being urged to impose suspended sentences.”
Judge Keyes said that Bernard McDonagh Snr formerly of Ashline, Ennis had previously lost a finger when he was subject to a machete attack – not involving the Dohertys – as he collected his children from a primary school in 2010.
The incident last October was sparked by the 46-year old ramming three vehicles – including a Garda patrol car – with a 10 year old boy in the back of the ramming vehicle.
Det Garda John Casey said that Bernard McDonagh Snr drove around the roundabout 10 times against traffic before ramming his car at a stationary patrol car and at Gardai.
Judge Keyes asked how are relations now between the two sides and Det Garda Casey told the court: “In my opinion, tensions are still as high when this incident took place last October and the Garda concern remains that potential incidents of a serious violent nature could take place between the families from a simple encounter.”
Det Garda Casey said that a member of the Doherty family came to the district court last month as a witness and was wearing a bullet proof vest for protection.
One of the Gardai endangered at the scene, Garda Marie Burke told the court in a victim impact statement she suffered post traumatic stress disorder as a result and that her life has been turned upside down. She said: “It was my belief that I was going to be seriously or fatally injured.”
Det Garda Casey said that Mr McDonagh had earlier rammed a Hiace van containing three members of the Doherty family and a car driven by a female visitor to Ennis on the day.
Minutes after Mr McDonagh’s arrest at the scene Mr McDonagh’s son, Bernie McDonagh Jnr (20), brother, Christopher McDonagh (37) of Childers Rd, Ennis and a third male, a 16-year old arrived in a van that broke a Garda cordon with the three armed with a Stanley knife, an iron bar and a hatchet to launch an attack on the Dohertys who were standing on the footpath beside the stationary Garda patrol car.
Det Casey said that at this stage, members of the public were looking on as traffic had been backed up as the roundabout is an access point to Ennis town centre.
Det Casey said that the three ran across the roundabout and as the 16 year old armed with the hatchet went toward Martin Doherty, Martin Doherty grabbed Garda Martin O’Brien to put the Garda between the attacker and himself, using the Garda as "a human shield".
Det Casey said that the young person was arrested by Gardai at the scene.
State counsel, Stephen Coughlan BL said that “Bernie McDonagh Jnr took advantage of the confusion to launch the attack on John Doherty”.
In the attack, Mr John Doherty sustained a scar from his left eye to behind his left ear and 10 long slash wounds to his back from the Stanley Knife used by Bernie McDonagh jnr.
In the case, the four accused have pleaded guilty to a variety of charges from the incident. In a Garda interview, father of ten,
Bernard McDonagh Snr said: “I have no ill-feeling towards the Dohertys but they would want to get their act together “I’m willing to sit down and sort this out. Peace is the way forward for everyone in this world. You can’t sleep in bed without being afraid of being attacked. Fear in your own house in your own transport is not the way to live. Decommission all of the weapons, anyone who has implements or weapons."
Judge Keyes said that he didn’t want to rush a decision on sentencing and adjourned sentencing to today
