Courts / Sligo / Report

Knife-wielding burglar who threatened to kill residents has jail term increased

Date
2022-07-12

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Sligo

County
Sligo

Summary

The Court of Appeal has increased the jail sentence of John McDonagh, a knife-wielding burglar who carried out a violent home invasion in Sligo Town in January 2020. McDonagh and a teenage accomplice broke into a house, threatened four occupants with a knife, and caused significant damage to property. The occupants were threatened with death if they contacted the gardaí. Both McDonagh (27) of Brookfield, Ballinode, Sligo, and his accomplice pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and burglary at a house at Glencarrig, Ballinode, and were sentenced in March of last year. Sligo Circuit Criminal Court judge Francis Comerford initially sentenced both men to five-and-a-half years in jail with the final two years suspended for three years. However, the Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient. The court heard that the offences were in the upper range of offending and that a headline sentence between nine and 14 years should have been identified. The appeal court quashed the previous sentence and substituted it with a seven-year term, with the final 18 months suspended for two years. The sentence was backdated to August 1, 2020, when McDonagh was first taken into custody. The matter was adjourned at the appeal stage.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Knife-wielding burglar who threatened to kill residents has jail term increased. Charges or matters: aggravated burglary and burglary at a house at Glencarrig, Ballinode, and were sentenced in March of last year. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

January 2020 Incident
January 28, 2020 Incident
August 1, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
2022-07-12 Publication

Case subjects

Both McDonagh

Convicted Person

Charges: aggravated burglary and burglary at a house at Glencarrig, Ballinode, and were sentenced in March of last year (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Both McDonagh (27) of Brookfield, Ballinode, Sligo, and his accomplice pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and burglary at a house at Glencarrig, Ballinode, and were sentenced in March of last year. Sligo Circuit Criminal Court judge Francis Comerford sentenced both men to five-and-a-half years in jail with the final two years suspended for three years.