A TRENTAGH man has been ordered to come up with compensation after he approached the occupants of a car with an iron bar.
Darragh Murphy, of Clooncarney, Trentagh, faced a charge of the production of an article in the course of a dispute or row.
Detailing the evidence at Letterkenny District Court, Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the defendant was a passenger in a car in the car-park outside McDonald’s restaurant at the Neil T Blaney Road on March 10, 2024.
A dispute arose between the driver of the car he was in and the occupants of a second vehicle. “There was a bit of history between the parties.”
The defendant alighted from the passenger seat brandishing an iron bar which he had taken from the footwell of the car he was in. The incident left the occupants of the second vehicle “threatened and very frightened”.
When others arrived, Murphy and the co-accused fled the scene.
Defending solicitor, Michael Shiel said his client had taken out the iron bar for his own protection and had no intention of using it.
“He had no gripe with the injured party. He regrets getting involved – it was a bad decision.”
His client (20) was a painter by trade and resided with his mother in Trentagh.
Asked by Judge Emile Daly if Mr Murphy had apologised to the victim, Mr Shiel said he had not as he did not want to be seen interfering with the other injured party.
Describing as it as “frightening” for the injured party to see the defendant standing there with an iron bar, Judge Daly said she would adjourn the case to await the provision of a victim impact statement
She indicated that the accused should consider coming up with compensation for the victim.
The Judge responded to Mr Shiel that his client should be “creative” with the figure.
