Louth man attacked armed gardaí with garden hoe in bedroom after carrying out shop robbery at knifepoint
A man had a knife as he robbed a shop before attacking armed gardaí with a garden hoe when they arrived at his nearby home to arrest him.
That evidence was given at Dundalk Circuit Court when Conor McManus (34) was sentenced to a total of one year and five months imprisonment.
The offending began in Centra, Greenacres, Dundalk, and continued at a house in Ashbrook, Tom Bellew Avenue.
He signed guilty pleas to robbery and production of a knife at Centra and to assaulting a garda causing him harm in Ashbrook and threatening to assault a second officer.
He has 23 previous convictions and began taking drugs aged 13, the court was told.
Det Gda Charlie Barrett said that at 6.30pm on April 5, 2025, a shop assistant became suspicious of Mr McManus when he went to the back of the premises and picked up three cans of Four Loko, costing €13.50.
This man advised the accused that he was on CCTV. He replied that he was going to pay.
He put the drinks in a carrier bag and took out a knife with a 6” blade and held it.
The staff member stood back, remarking: “You’re a big man with a knife.”
Mr McManus said: “Get away from me or I’ll stab you.”
A female worker, who had remained at the till, saw the knife and was in fear.
The robber was allowed pass and again threatened to stab the man. He went outside and escaped on a e-scooter.
Det Gda Barrett continued that he went to Conor McManus’s address, accompanied by members of the Garda Armed Support Unit.
They could hear people inside and after getting no reply to knocks on the door and windows, breached the front door, shouting, “Armed gardaí”.
The witness said he was behind two colleagues as they opened a bedroom door and he saw the defendant swing a garden hoe at their heads and lunge at them.
One of the officers grabbed the hoe with his left hand to block it from hitting his face. He cut his hand.
McManus violently resisted. He was arrested at 8.15pm.
He denied making threats in the shop, telling investigators that he robbed three cans and “just walked out”. He said that he didn’t have a knife out.
There was a “list” (of people) who said they were “going to cut me up”.
When told of the CCTV he admitted producing a knife but denied threatening to stab anyone. He said that he wanted to apologise.
Regarding what happened in the house, he said that he didn’t know it was the guards.
"I told you I’m fighting with other people.”
His previous convictions included possession of drugs, possession of knives, public order and theft, all from the district court.
Barrister Donough McDonough said his client, who grew up in Dundalk, had addiction issues.
He began taking drugs at 13 before going on to other drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine. He continued to mis-use cannabis and tablets.
The defendant was living in assisted Simon Community housing in Ashbrook at the time, but struggled away from monitoring in the Simon Community.
He lost the house since this incident, which counsel described as very serious and a desperate act.
Judge Dara Hayes noted that the shop assistant said he had never experienced an episode like this, while one of the gardaí sustained a cut.
"Gardaí were attacked with a garden implement. They shouldn’t have to face that.”
Conor McManus, who lived with his grandmother until aged 12, was making efforts to reduce his drug use.
Concurrent terms of 2 years and 8 months were imposed on each of the four charges, the final 15 months suspended.