Iron bar brandished during McDonald’s row, Letterkenny court hears

A man who produced an iron bar in a row outside McDonalds in Letterkenny has been told to be "creative" with a compensation offer to his victim.

Darragh Murphy appeared before Letterkenny District Court.

The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to producing an article during the course of a dispute at Neil T Blaney Road.

Garda Sergeant Jim Collins outlined the background to the incident which took place on March 10, 2024.

The court was told that Murphy, of Cloncarney, Trentagh, was a passenger in a car outside McDonalds at approximately 7.30pm.

A row began between the occupants of the car Murphy was in and the occupants or another car nearby.

"There was a bit of history between both parties," Sergeant Collins said.

Murphy got out of the car with an iron bar, stood three feet away from the other car and left the occupants of the other car very frightened, the court was told.

Other people arrived and Murphy and another co-accused fled the scene.

Solicitor for the accused, Mr Michael Shiel, said his client did not bring the iron bar to the incident but that he found it in the footwell of the passenger seat.

He added that he took the bar out of the car "for his own protection" during the row.

Mr Shiel said: "He tells me he had no intention whatsoever of using the bar and didn't threaten either of the injured parties with the bar.

"He has held his hands up and admitted he had the bar but had no intention of using it."

Mr Shiel said his client was a painter by trade, is single, lives with his mother and has no previous convictions.

He also added that he has no contact with his co-accused in the case who has already been dealt with by the court.

Judge Emile Daly asked Mr Shiel if his client had apologised to the victim, but was told that Murphy did not want to be seen to be interfering.

Judge Daly said that this was a serious matter and that the accused looked down, saw an iron bar and then went towards another vehicle.

She adjourned the case until March 26 to allow for a victim impact statement in the case.

She said the accused should consider coming up with compensation for his victim.

When asked by Mr Shiel if she had a figure in mind, Judge Daly said Murphy should be "creative."