Gweedore man jailed after threats to cut mother’s face and kill brother

A Gweedore man who threatened to slice his mother’s face, and made repeated threats against his mother and brother, has been jailed.

Patrick McLaughlin appeared before Letterkenny District Court, where he was given a prison sentence after being charged in relation to offences on five separate dates.

McLaughlin was charged with threatening his mother and his brother at their family home.

The 57-year-old, with an address at Lower Main Street Letterkenny, was charged with an incident at Menacuing, Gweedore, on June 11, 2022.

Sergeant Gerard Dalton outlined that McLaughlin appeared at the property at 10.20pm and threatened to slice his mother’s face. McLaughlin also told his brother, James: “I’ll fucking put you in a box and bury you.”

Ms McLaughlin - who was present in court for the hearing - had asked her son where her cat was and McLaughlin threatened to cut her face. The threats were heard by James McLaughlin, who was subsequently threatened and punched on the side of the face. Gardai were called and McLaughlin was arrested.

McLaughlin was charged with an incident on June 16, 2023. Then, he was alleged to have threatened to kill his mother and also made threats against his brother James. Sergeant Dalton said both were ‘in fear of their safety’ and statements were made to officers.

When Gardai arrived they saw McLaughlin ‘exhibiting aggressive behaviour and displaying clear signs of intoxication’.  “He was yelling and making threats and was visibly agitated,” Sergeant Dalton said.

The court heard details of another incident on July 20, 2022, when Gardai were called to a property at Meenacuing, Gweedore, where it was alleged there had been a threat to assault.

McLaughlin, the court heard, threatened to ‘knife’ his brother, James McLaughlin. On arrival, Gardai observed the defendant in a bedroom packing clothes.

McLaughlin had arrived to the property and demanded to gain entry in order to get his belongings. He was informed that he was not allowed entry as it was against the conditions of his bail.

Sergeant Dalton said that McLaughlin became aggressive and threatened to stab his brother. Statements on that occasion were made his a brother and a sister.

The court was further told that in January 29, 2023, Gardai received a report of an intoxicated male in the public toilets at Letterkenny Shopping Centre. Gardai arrived and saw that McLaughlin was ‘clearly intoxicated’ Sergeant Dalton told the court. “He could barely walk and couldn’t close his belt,” Sergeant Dalton said.

On April 21, 2021, Gardai observed McLaughlin standing in the middle of the road at Lower Main Street, Letterkenny in an intoxicated state. He was arrested for his own safety and the safety of others.

Sergeant Dalton said that McLaughlin had ‘numerous’ convictions, running to 27 A4 pages.

Solicitor for McLaughlin, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said his client was the victim of a serious assault in 2013. “He suffered substantial memory loss,” Mr Gallagher said. “He uses a book to know where he is.  He is a man who has certified difficulties due to an assault. Coupled with medication and alcohol, it causes him substantial difficulty.”

Judge Ciaran Liddy said it was ‘glaringly obvious’ that he was dealing with an ongoing domestic violence situation where McLaughlin’s extended family were ‘trapped in a household of domestic violence’.

Noting that McLaughlin had threatened his mother and subjected his brother to several threats, Judge Liddy said the incidents would have been ‘very disturbing for the family’.

“Mrs McLaughlin is here and it must be very difficult to see her son here today and I sympathise with her,” Judge Liddy said.

“These incidents are extremely serious and they must be dealt with accordingly.”

For the assault on James McLaughlin on June 11, 2022, Judge Lidddy sentenced McLaughlin to 12 months in prison. For the threat to kill or cause serious harm on the same date, McLaughlin was given a further 12-month sentence, suspended for a period of two years.

McLaughlin was ordered to abstain from alcohol and illicit substances. He is to attend for alcohol and substance abuse counselling and will be placed under the supervision of the Probation Service. McLaughlin was told to attend for anger management and to engage ‘meaningfully’ with the Probation Service.

In sentencing McLaughlin to two years in prison, with the final year suspended, Judge Liddy marked the other charges as taken into consideration. McLaughlin will also be given the appropriate credit for time already spent in custody.

Following a submission by Mr Gallagher, Judge Liddy recommended that post release assistance be provided to McLaughlin.