Courts / Dublin / Report

No jail for man who swung meat cleaver and threatened to kill garda

Summary

Daniel Sweeney, 28, of Croftwood Gardens, Cherry Orchard, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to threatening to kill a Garda, intoxication in a public place and producing a meat cleaver after fleeing from Gardaí on 5 June 2016. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years for producing the meat cleaver and 18 months for threatening to kill the Garda, but suspended the entirety of both sentences, which were to run concurrently. The incident began when Garda Peter Smith received a call about a disturbance; Sweeney attempted to flee on a bike, fell, and was seized by Gardaí. He swung the cleaver at Smith, missed, and then shouted threats at Garda Cronin while being transported back to the station. Sweeney, who has two children and a history of alcohol abuse, has 26 previous convictions, including criminal damage, public order offences and 17 road traffic offences.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: No jail for man who swung meat cleaver and threatened to kill garda. Charges or matters: threatening to kill, intoxication in a public place and producing a meat cleaver after fleeing from gardaí on June 5, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• June 5, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-07-17 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Public Order Road Traffic Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report