Machete man spared jail over revenge attack

A MAN wielding a machete who ran through a group of children to attack his cousin in the centre of Ashbourne three years ago was spared jail at Trim Circuit Court.

Father of four Patrick Reilly (29) with an address at Old Church Avenue Clondalkin pleaded guilty to a charge of asssult causing harm to Edward Maughan on 23rd April 2018 at High St Ashbourne.

Garda Stacey Wykes told prosecuting counsel Carl Hanahoe BL that the victim who tried to run from his attacker suffered a 15cm cut to his arm which was broken in the incident.

Judge Martina Baxter who viewed CCTV footage of the incident noted a group of school children and their teacher saw what had happened.

“I view that as highly aggravating”, said the judge.

The court heard the attack followed a row between members of both families the previous St Patricks Day during which Maughan assaulted Reilly's wife.

Defence barrister James O'Brien BL said that since the Ashbourne incident the home of his client’s mother had been attacked and she had to leave the area.

The barrister added that his client had also moved home out of fear and in Nov 2019 was seriously assaulted by Maughan in the UK suffering significant injuries to his face.

The court heard that Maughan was due to be sentenced in December after admitting that assault.

Mr O'Brien said his client had €4,000 in court as a token of his remorse and Judge Baxter directed it be paid to the Navan Travellers Workshop.

After reading a probation report on the defendant the judge imposed a suspended sentence of 20 months but warned Reilly he would not get a second chance.